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NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES AND POEMS FOR ICSE X

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Shreyas Js
Pupil Tree School, Bellary
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Poetry (i) Where the Mind Is Without Fear What is meant by mind is without fear ? Whose mind is the poet talking about and why? Answer: The words mind is without fear mean that one does not have any fear of oppression or compulsion. The poet is talking about the minds of the people of his country. He says so because his country was under the subjugation of the British, who perpetrated all sorts of oppression on his countrymen. (ii) What is meant by: the head is held high ? Why is the head bowed down and needs to be held high? Answer: The words the head is held high mean to have self respect. The head is bowed down because of exploitation and oppression of the Indians by the British. It needs to be held high with pride and dignity which characterized the Indians before India was reduced to the status of a subjugated nation. (iii) What does the poet mean by Where knowledge is free ? What were the restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge? Answer: By the words Where knowledge is free , the poet wants to say that in his country everyone should have the freedom to acquire knowledge without any restriction. The restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge include the prejudices based on wealth, caste and religion. Further, the British imposed restrictions on the basis of the ruler (the British) and the ruled (the Indians). They curbed the freedom of speech and expression by putting restrictions on the Press. (iv) What according to the poet, were the effects of the restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge? Answer: Due to the restrictions imposed on the spread of knowledge, people remained glued to their outdated customs and traditions and could not think rationally. (v) What is a sonnet? How is the poem a part of a sonnet? Answer: A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines divided into an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines). The octave presents an idea, raises an argument, makes a proposition or poses a problem, whereas the sestet gives a solution to the problem posed by the octave. The poem Where the Mind is Without Fear comprises an octave, in which the poet talks about the wonderful qualities his countrymen must achieve to make their country free and heaven-like. Since this poem is only a part of the complete song in his Nobel Prize winning work, Gitanjali, we can say that this poem is a part of the complete sonnet. (i) What according to the poet, breaks up the world into fragments ? Answer: According to the poet, the narrow domestic walls or divisions based on caste, class, colour, religion, creed, region and superstitions break up the world into fragments or mutually exclusive compartments. (ii) What are the narrow domestic walls that the poet speaks about in the poem? Why are they called narrow by the poet? Answer: The narrow domestic walls refer to narrow local divisions created by prejudices like caste, colour, creed, region and religion. They are called narrow by the poet because they are based on age-old customs and traditions and not on the basis of rational thinking. (iii) In what way can the narrow domestic walls be harmful to a nation? Answer: The narrow domestic walls can harm the nation by creating divisions among people and thereby, undermining the unity and integrity of the nation. (iv) Why does the poet feel that the words should come out from the depth of truth? Why does he feel so? Answer: The poet wants to say that his countrymen should be able to express themselves truthfully without any fear. He feels so because his countrymen at that time did not have freedom of expression as various restrictions were imposed on the freedom of speech and the Press by the British. (v) Give two examples of alliteration from the above extract: Answer: Examples of alliteration are: (a) Where the world (b) Where words (vi) How does the poet show in the poem that he has a religious outlook? Answer: The poet shows that he has a religious outlook by praying to God to let his country awake to a blissful heaven of freedom. (i) What does the poet mean by saying tireless striving ? What does the poet want his countrymen to achieve by tireless striving? Answer: Tireless striving means to work hard without getting tired to achieve perfection. The poet wants his countrymen to achieve the highest goals, i.e., freedom at all levels political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. (ii) Explain why reason has been compared to a clear stream. Answer: Reasoning allows a person to have clarity of thoughts without being restricted by narrow domestic walls such as caste, colour, creed, religion, region and superstitions. That is why it has been compared to a clear stream which is free of all impurities. (iii) What is meant by dreary desert sand of dead habit ? Answer: Dreary desert sand of dead habit is a metaphor. Through this metaphor the poet wants to say that his countrymen should work for perfection in everything and should not be led astray from their goal in the dry desert of dead habits, i.e., in a place where outdated customs and traditions are followed. (iv) What, according to the poet, are the hurdles in achieving perfection? Answer: According to the poet, the hurdles in achieving perfection include the outdated customs and traditions based on irrational thinking rather than sound reasoning and scientific thought. (v) Point out and explain the figure of speech in the third line of the given extract. Answer: The figure of speech in the third line of the given extract is a metaphor . Through this metaphor the poet wants to say that his countrymen should work for perfection in everything and should not be led astray from their goal in the dry desert of dead habits, i.e., in a place where outdated customs and traditions are followed. (vi) How can it be said that the poem is a song of prayer? Answer: This poem by Rabindranath Tagore is taken from his original volume called Naibedya, which bears the title Prarthana , i.e., prayer. In this poem, the poet prays to a universal father-figure, i.e., God to let his country awake to a blissful heaven of freedom. Thus, the poem is a song of prayer. (i) Who is referred to as thee in the above extract? Answer: Thee refers to God. (ii) Whose mind is to be led forward and where? Answer: The mind of the poet s countrymen is to be led forward to the heaven of freedom , i.e., to an ideal state where there is total freedom at all levels political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. (iii) What is meant by heaven of freedom ? Give three qualities required to be able to attain the heaven of freedom. Answer: The phrase Heaven of freedom means an ideal state, where the poet wants the Almighty to lead his countrymen to. The three qualities required to be able to attain the heaven of freedom include: (a) there is no oppression and people can hold their heads high in self-respect. (b) there are no prejudices based on caste, colour, creed, religion, region and superstitions. (c) people should work tirelessly to attain perfection in everything by following scientific thought and rational thinking, without being led to follow obsolete traditions and customs. (iv) Who is referred to as Father in the above extract? How will he awake the country? Answer: Father in the above extract is a reference for God. He will awake the country by leading the poet s countrymen to a heavenly state where there are all kinds of freedom and where they can hold their heads high in self-respect, without any fear of oppression or compulsion. (v) What does the poet pray for his country in the poem? Answer: The poet prays for his country to attain all kinds of freedom political, religious, spiritual, moral and intellectual. And only then it will attain the blissful heaven of freedom, an ideal state where his countrymen would be able to hold their heads high in self-respect, will not have a blurred vision based on prejudices and work tirelessly to attain perfection in every sphere of life. (i) The Inchcape Rock Which Rock is referred to in this extract? Where was the Rock? How was it sometimes hidden? Answer: The Inchcape rock is referred to in the extract. The rock lay hidden in the sea off the east coast of Scotland. It sometimes remained hidden under sea water during the high tide. (ii) Give the meaning of surge s swell. What is meant by the warning bell? How was the warning bell rung? Answer: The words surge s swell mean the sea-waves moved up and down and rose high due to the influence of tides. The warning bell refers to the bell placed on the Inchcape rock by the Abbot of Aberbrothok, to give a warning to the sailors about the danger from the rock. The warning bell was placed on a buoy and during high tides the movement of waves made the buoy to float and in turn rang the bell and warned the sailors. (iii) Why was the Rock said to be perilous? Give an example from the poem to show that the Rock was perilous. Answer: The Rock was said to be perilous because many ships had been wrecked by it when it remained covered by sea water during a high tide. Sir Ralph s ship struck against the Inchcape Rock and drowned in the sea. (iv) Who is known as the Abbot? Explain why the mariners blessed the Abbot. Answer: The Head monk of a monastery or church is known as an Abbot. The mariners blessed the Abbot Aberbrothok because he placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock, which gave a warning to the mariners about the perilous rock and thus, saved them and their ships from drowning. (v) The poem is written in the form of a ballad, which was sung traditionally by a wandering musician. Give any two elements of the ballad shown in the extract. Answer: A ballad is a long narrative poem that tells a story. It is a heightened narration that uses narrative technique like rhyme and figures of speech. The two elements of ballad in the given extract are the following: (a) The rhyming pattern followed in this extract is aabb (Swell-Bell; Rock-Aberbrothok). (b) There is a repetition of consonant sound at the beginning of words (alliteration) to facilitate narration: 1. .....surge s swell 2. .....then they (i) Who was the Rover? What kind of a person was he? Answer: Sir Ralph was a rover or a sea pirate. He was a wicked and jealous man. (ii) What made the Rover sing? Give the meaning of: His heart was mirthful to excess. But the Rover s mirth was wickedness. Answer: The pleasant day in the spring season made the Rover sing. But the real reason was that in a such calm atmosphere he would be able to carry out his wicked plan of defaming the Abbot of Aberbrothok by cutting off the bell from the Inchcape Rock and thereby, loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. The given lines mean that the Rover s heart was extremely joyful but his joy was due to his wicked plan. (iii) What did the Rover see? What did he ask his sailors to do? Answer: The Rover saw the buoy of the Inchcape Rock like a dark speck on the green ocean. He asked his sailors to lower the boat and row him to the Inchcape Rock. (iv) Where did the Rover want to go? Why? Answer: The Rover wanted to go near the Inchcape Rock to cut off the warning bell to spoil the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok, who has placed the bell there and to loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. (v) In what mood was the Rover as shown in the extract? What in the extract shows his mood? What was the mood of the Rover at the end of the poem? Answer: The Rover was in a joyful mood in the extract. His joyful mood is reflected in the extract by his act of whistling and singing. At the end of the poem, the Rover was in a mood of despair and frustration. (i) Where did the boatmen row the boat? Answer: The boatmen rowed the boat to the Inchcape Rock. (ii) What did the Rover do there? Why did he do that? Answer: The Rover cut off the bell from the Inchcape Rock. He did so out of jealousy and self-interest. He wanted to spoil the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok, who has placed the bell there. It would also allow him to easily loot the wealth from the shipwrecks, caused by the Inchcape Rock. (iii) Describe the impact of the Rover s action on the ship as well as on himself. Answer: The Rover s act of cutting the bell from the Inchcape Rock led to the collision of his ship with the rock and finally, the drowning of the ship with the Rover. (iv) What did the Rover say after doing the wicked deed? Answer: After performing the wicked deed of cutting the bell from Inchcape Rock, the Rover said that from then onwards the mariners who used to thank the Abbot would no longer thank him. (v) Who had kept the bell there? Why was the bell placed on the float? Answer: The Abbot of Aberbrothok had kept the bell there. The bell was placed on the float because the movement of the float during the high tide would make the bell ring and warn the sailors of the danger from the rock. (vi) Why had the sailors, passing by earlier, blessed the Abbot of Aberbrothok? Answer: The sailors, passing by earlier, blessed the Abbot of Aberbrothok for placing the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock and thereby, saving them from the perilous rock. (i) Where did the Rover sail away? How did he grow rich? Answer: The Rover sailed away from the Inchcape Rock. He became rich by looting the wealth from the ships that struck against the Inchcape Rock. (ii) After amassing wealth, where was the Rover sailing? Answer: After amassing wealth, the Rover was sailing towards the shore of Scotland. (iii) Describe the weather condition prevailing when the Rover was sailing. How do the weather conditions predict the Rover s final fate? Answer: When the Rover was sailing, there was a thick haze over the atmosphere and no sun in the sky. There were strong winds and darkness all around. The weather conditions predicted that finally the Rover would meet his end in the sea. (iv) How is the Rover wicked, jealous and a robber? Answer: The Rover was a wicked man who was jealous of the fame and reputation of the Abbot of Aberbrothok. That is why he carried out his wicked plan of cutting off the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock, placed there by the Abbot. He was a robber who became rich by looting the wealth from the shipwrecks. (v) Compare the character of the Abbot to that of the Rover. Answer: The Abbot was a kind and compassionate man, who placed a warning bell on the Inchcape Rock to forewarn the sailors about the danger to their ships from the perilous rock. The Rover, on the other hand, was a jealous and wicked man, who cut off the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock to defame the Abbot and to loot the wealth from the shipwrecks. (i) Describe the weather when Rover and his sailors were going towards the shore of Scotland. Answer: When the Rover and his sailors were going towards the shore of Scotland, the weather was bad, with a thick haze over the atmosphere, no Sun in the sky and strong winds. (ii) What is meant by the breakers roar ? Normally, when the breakers roar, what indication is given? Answer: The words the breakers roar mean the roaring of the sea waves, i.e., the sound made when the sea waves break on the shore. The breakers roar normally signify a high tide when the sea waves surge up and down with a great force. (iii) Who wishes that they could hear the Inchcape Bell? How could the bell have helped them? Answer: The sailors wished that they could hear the Inchcape Rock. The ringing of the bell would have indicated the presence of the perilous rock and thus saved the ship from colliding with it. (iv) Why couldn t the sailors see any land on the way to Scotland s shore? How was Ralph optimistic about the weather? Answer: The sailors could not see any land on the way to Scotland s shore because of (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) bad weather. There was a thick haze in the atmosphere and total darkness in the absence of the Sun in the sky. Sir Ralph was optimistic that the weather would improve by night when the moon would rise in the sky. In the absence of the Inchcape Bell, no warning sound was heard by the sailors and the vessel struck against the Inchcape Rock. Why couldn t they hear any sound? What would have happened if they had heard normal expected sound as usual? Answer: They could not hear any sound due to the absence of the warning bell on the Inchcape Rock, which the Rover had cut off. If the sailors had heard the normal expected sound of the warning bell from the Inchcape Rock, they would have saved the ship from striking against the rock. Give the meaning of: (a) the swell is strong: (b) They drifted along: Answer: (a) There are strong waves in the sea. (b) They moved slowly towards the shore. The vessel struck against the Inchcape Rock. It was a shivering shock because the ship collided with the rock and the waves from all sides began to engulf it. Sir Ralph was in a state of despair and shock when he realized that his ship had struck against the Inchcape Rock. In his frustration, he pulled his hair and cursed himself. Sir Ralph s ship struck the very rock from which he had removed the warning bell and sank in the sea. Sir Ralph was a sea pirate. He was a wicked and jealous man. He used to loot wealth from the ships that fatally crashed against the Inchcape Rock. But when the Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a warning bell, he cut off the bell to defame the good Abbot and put the other helpless sailors into trouble. However, he got caught in his own trap of mischief when his ship struck against the Inchcape Rock and sank in the sea along with him. (vi) The moral conveyed through this poem is As you sow, so shall you reap. The Rover (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) cut off the bell from the Inchcape Rock, but his own ship struck against the very Rock because of the absence of any warning sound and sank in the sea. The Rover could hear the sound of his sinking ship, which seemed to him like the sound made by the Inchcape Bell. The sound was dreadful because there was no chance of surviving the shipwreck. The sound of the Inchcape Bell was a forewarning of the danger from the perilous rock to the sailors and was thus life-saving. The dreadful sound, on the other hand was that of the sinking ship that signalled the end of Sir Ralph. Therefore, it appeared to be like a funeral bell being run by the Devil himself. The Devil below was ringing his knell mean that the sound which Sir Ralph was hearing appeared to him like the sound of the Inchcape bell. But actually the sound was that of the sinking ship. Sir Ralph, the Rover cut off the warning bell, which the Abbot of Aberbrothok had planted on the Inchcape Rock as a forewarning to the sailors. But Sir Ralph s own ship struck against the very rock due to the absence of any forewarning sound and drowned in the sea with Sir Ralph. Thus, the evil that Sir Ralph plotted for the Abbot and the other sailors, recoiled on him. The Inchcape Rock is a ballad comprising adventure, valour and jealousy. Sir Ralph, the pirate, went on an adventure trip on the sea with his sailors. He had the valour to take the risk of cutting off the bell from the Inchcape Rock, which the Abbot of Aberbrothok had placed there to warn the sailors. He did this wicked act out of jealousy as he could not accept the popularity of the good Abbot and wanted to defame him. He also did so because of selfish motive as he used to make wealth by looting money from the ships that crashed after striking against the Inchcape Rock. I. The merchants are in the bazaars of Hyderabad. They are selling their goods in the market. The words Richly displayed mean that the goods to be sold in the market have been beautifully displayed by the merchants to attract the buyers. (ii) The goods on sale in this market included crimson and silver turbans, purple brocade tunics, mirrors framed in brownish yellow colour and daggers with handles of jade. (iii) The poet begins the stanza with a question to elicit an answer from the vendors about the goods they are selling. This pattern of question-answer is used to bring out the splendour of the traditional bazaars of Hyderabad. The poet has used repetition as well as lyrics full of vibrant and colourful images to describe the scene. (i) (iv) (a) Mirrors with panels of amber mean the mirrors having frames of brownish and yellow colour. (b) Scabbards of gold for the king mean sheaths of gold for the King to keep his swords in. (v) The King and his nobles are the likely customers of tunics of purple brocade and daggers with handles of jade. (vi) The visual imagery is stimulated by mentioning the various hues of colours in this stanza like silver, crimson, purple, amber and jade. II. (i) Chessmen are the pieces deployed on a chessboard for playing the game of chess. Ivory dice refers to small cubes made of ivory, having six sides numbered by dots from one to six. These are used to play games. (ii) Saffron, lentil, rice, sandalwood, henna and spices are sold by weight, whereas chessmen and ivory dice are sold by numbers. (iii) The sellers of various goods in the bazaars of Hyderabad are referred to as vendors and merchants. The sellers, who go about from place to place with their goods for sale are called the pedlars. (iv) Food items included saffron, lentil and rice. Cosmetic items included sandalwood and henna and the recreational items included chessmen and ivory dice. (v) The senses of sight are stimulated in this extract by the various colours of the items like saffron, lentil, rice, sandalwood, henna and various spices. The sense of taste is produced by the mention of staple Indian food like lentil and rice and spices. III. (i) The jeweller s shop is referred to in the extract. Girdles of gold mean ornamental belt made of gold worn round the waist by the dancers. Scabbards of gold refer to the sheaths of gold for the king to keep his swords in. (ii) The items of gold on sale included ornaments like wristlets, anklets, rings, belts of gold worn by the dancers and sheaths for swords used by the kings. The gold jewellery reveals that both the owners and the buyers belonged to the wealthy sections of the society. (iii) Bells were tied to the feet of blue pigeons as ornaments as well as identity marks. Sheaths of gold were used by the kings, girdles (belts) were used by dancers and wristlets, anklets and rings were used by other people. (iv) Frail as a dragon-fly s wing means as delicate as the wings of a dragon-fly. Frail is an apt description for describing the delicateness of the bells tied to the feet of blue pigeons. (v) The poet has described the Indian goods at the Indian bazaars for two reasons: (a) to depict the splendour of Indian bazaars which beckon the customers with their sounds, scents and goods. (b) to extoll the Indians to buy Swadeshi goods and boycott foreign goods. IV. (i) The fruits included lemons, pomegranates and plums, whereas the musical instruments included sitar, sarangi and drum. (ii) The poet asks the musicians what musical instruments they are playing and asks the magicians what they are chanting. (iii) Spells for aeons to come mean the magical spells used by the magicians to charm everyone till eternity with their chanting. (iv) The whole poem is Indian in context and presentation as it depicts the beauty and vibrance of a traditional Indian bazaar. The landscape, the characters, the images and the background is typically Indian such as: (a) the mention of dresses worn by Indians such as turbans and tunics. (b) the gold ornaments worn by Indians like wristlets, anklets, rings and girdles. (c) the musical instruments played by Indians like sitar, sarangi and drums. (d) the food items like lentil and rice and spices and fruits like lemons, pomegranates and plums. (e) the use of fresh flowers on both happy and sad occasions. (v) The magicians are present in the bazaar for chanting magical spells to charm the customers. (vi) The panoramic view of the Indian bazaars presented in the poem with its hues of colour, sounds, smells and sights has appealed to me the most because it gives a glimpse of the Indian culture, society and prosperity. V. (i) The poet has highlighted the occupation of simple folks in India like the merchants, pedlars, vendors, fruit sellers, goldsmiths, musicians, magicians and flower girls. (ii) The flowers are used on happy occasions like wedding for making garlands for the bridegroom and to decorate his nuptial bed. The flowers are used on sad occasions such as death to pay the last respects by placing flowers on the dead bodies or the graves. (iii) Crowns, chaplets and garlands were used for making garlands for the bridegroom and for decorating his nuptial bed. (iv) Tassels of azure and red mean ornamental threads of sky-blue and red colour tied at one end to make garlands and nuptial beds for the bridegroom. (v) To perfume the sleep of the dead mean to place sheets of freshly gathered flowers on the dead bodies or on the graves, which give pleasant smell. I. (i) The soldier boy was sitting underneath a tree during the war because he was fatally wounded and could not get up. (ii) The soldier was sitting calmly because he was fatally injured during the war, was thirsty and could not get any help from anybody around. (iii) The soldier asked the narrator to come near him because he was thirsty and needed a sip of water. (iv) The battle had been long and hard can be discerned from the deep craters in the earth and the number of dead bodies of the soldiers, which the narrator could see lying all around. (v) In the above extract, the poet wants to convey the horrors of war and the agony of the soldiers, who fight it out on the battlefield. II. (i) The narrator has been referred to by the soldier as Sir . He was on the battlefield at that time. (ii) The soldier, according to the narrator, smiled as best he could to hide his pain and suffering from him. It shows the spirit of a soldier, who gives up his life for his country, with a smile on his face. (iii) The soldier wanted A sip of water because he was thirsty and fatigued for he had fought a long and tough battle throughout the night and was fatally wounded. (iv) The soldier could not take any rest because he had been fighting continuously day and night against the enemy. It tells us about the horrors of war and pain and suffering the soldiers had to endure on the battlefield. (v) The soldier was having a pain in his chest because of the wound he had sustained during the fight on the battlefield. Being a true soldier, who considers everything smaller than his duty for his country, the soldier called it as small pain . Further, in comparison to the soldiers, who had received larger wounds and had succumbed to their injuries on the battlefield, his was a small pain. III. (i) The large stain on the soldier s shirt was caused by a wound he received while fighting on the battlefield. (ii) warm blood mixed in with Asian dirt refers to the blood oozing out from the wounds of the soldier and mixing with the dirt of the Asian soil as the war was being fought in Asia. (iii) By saying Not much , the soldier wanted to say that his wound was nothing in comparison to the wounds suffered by his fellow soldiers, who succumbed to their injuries. He said so because he was still alive. (iv) The soldier considered himself more lucky than his fellow soldiers because they died of the injuries sustained during the war, while he was still alive. IV. (i) The soldier was feeling weak and said that his weakness must be due to fatigue. His fatigue was caused by fighting day and night on the battlefield. (ii) The soldier smiled weakly because he had sustained fatal wounds and was in pain. It shows that though the soldier was in pain, he was trying to hide his suffering in the true spirit of a soldier. (iii) The soldier felt that he was getting old because he found himself weak and fatigued after battling it out on the warfront. (iv) The soldier felt cold despite the shining sun because the light of his life was fading, i.e., he was about to die due to the fatal wounds that he had received on the battlefield. (v) The night exploded means that an explosion took place at night. As a result of the explosion the soldier got fatal wounds on his body, whereas a number of his fellow soldiers died because of the injuries sustained during the explosion. V. (i) The narrator described the soldier s smile as the brightest that he has ever seen because the soldier wanted to express his gratitude to the narrator for providing water to him as well as to hide the pain he was enduring. (ii) The soldier was suffering from fatal physical injuries sustained during the explosion at night on the battle field. Due to these injuries he was feeling physically weak and fatigued. (iii) The soldier considered it silly to be defeated by a small pain in his chest because he was a young, healthy man, full of energy and enthusiasm, who could have defeated even death. (iv) The soldier felt ashamed of himself to think about his wife s reaction when she would see her husband, a strong and grown up man, sitting there defeated. He felt that his mother would never have imagined during his childhood that one day his son would be sitting on the battlefield, defeated by a small pain in his chest. (v) HERE refers to the battlefield. The soldier was undergoing a mental pain at the thought of the reaction his wife and mother would have on seeing him sitting defeated on the battlefield. VI. (i) The soldier felt that it was getting dark earlier than it used to be because the light of his life was fading, as he was slowly losing consciousness because of the fatal injuries sustained on the battlefield and seeing the darkness all around him. (ii) He refers to the soldier. He winced up at the sun with an expression of pain on his face to find out why was it getting dark so early despite the shining sun. (iii) (a) In the given line, the soldier told the narrator that before he would start his journey further, he would like to take a little rest. It signifies the soldier s spirit to continue his duty after taking little rest. It is also symbolic of the final journey, i.e., death, towards which the soldier was heading. (b) The narrator said I think I must have cried . He said so because he could not recall what was his reaction when the wounded soldier died in front of his eyes. It signifies that the narrator was petrified on seeing the horrifying death of the soldier. (iv) When the narrator pulled the soldier towards himself he felt the wound in his chest and the gravity of the pain the soldier was enduring. (v) The narrator said that he had a large wound in his heart compared to the small one in the soldier s heart because he was hurt by the suffering of the dead soldier, and felt the guilt on the part of humanity at not being able to give up war and thereby, end the suffering of the soldiers.\ VII. (i) The expression Asian dirt means Asian soil and this indicates that the war was fought in Asia. The two hardships experienced by the soldier included: (a) The physical pain caused by the fatal wounds sustained on the battlefield. (b) The emotional agony at being lonely and surrounded by dead bodies and the thought of his family s reaction on seeing him defeated. (ii) Despite sustaining fatal injuries during the war, the soldier did not leave the battlefield because he considered it at his duty to continue the fight till the end and die smiling while performing his duty in the true spirit of a soldier. (iii) The phrase a small pain in my chest is a refrain which is repeated throughout the poem to emphasize the pain and suffering a soldier undergoes on the battlefield. (iv) Yes, indeed the poem has a poignant ending. It makes the readers (i) feel the agony a soldier endures on the battlefield; and (ii) realise the horrors of war and the need to give up wars for the sake of humanity. (v) Small Pain in My Chest is an anti-war poem that describes the horrors of war and conveys the message to shun hatred and warfare. The Professor (i) What does the speaker mean by saying all my children/are well settled in life ? Ans: The speaker wants to say that all his children, i.e., his sons are economically well off and his two daughters are happily married. (ii) What does the speaker want to convey when he says Both have cars ? What does it convey about the Indian society? Ans: By saying, Both have cars , the speaker wants to convey that both his sons are well off and have a status in society. It conveys that in Indian society the worth of an individual is measured more by his financial status than anything else. (iii) Who is the other referred to in the above lines? Why does the speaker say that he is not doing so well ? Ans: The other is a reference for the speaker s third son. The speaker says that he is not doing so well because in comparison to his other two sons, who have managerial jobs and are economically well off, he is not as successful as they are. (iv) What does the speaker mean by Every family must have black sheep ? Who is the black sheep in the speaker s family? Why? Ans: By saying, Every family must have black sheep , the speaker intends to say that in every family there is a person, who is different from the rest of the family and is an embarrassment to the family. The speaker considered his third son as the black sheep in his family because he was not as well off as his other two sons. (v) How does the extract show that many Indians value economic success more than academic success? Ans: The extract shows that Indians value economic success more than academic success through the speaker s attitude, who measures the success of his two sons by their managerial jobs and the cars they owned. (i) Who are Sarala and Tarala? Which practice of naming do they show in our society? Ans: Sarala and Tarala are the speaker s daughters. The practice of giving rhyming names to the siblings like Sarala and Tarala is shown in this extract. (ii) What does the speaker say about the marriage of his daughters? What trait of the Indian society is hinted at by the speaker s comment about the marriage of Sarala and Tarala? Ans: The speaker says that his two daughters Sarala and Tarala are happily married to nice boys. The speaker s comment about the marriage of Sarala and Tarala hints at the gender bias prevalent in Indian society, which considers the success of a man by his economic status and a woman s by getting married to a nice boy. (iii) What does the speaker mean when he says How many issues you have? To whom is he asking this question? Ans: By saying, How many issues you have , the speaker wants to enquire from his student about the number of children he has. He is directing this question to his former student. (iv) Why does the speaker say that is good ? What is the good that he is talking about? Ans: In reply to his former student s remark that he has three children, the speaker says That is good . The speaker considers his student having three children as good . (v) What is that which the speaker is not against? What is the irony in the statement? Ans: The speaker is not against family planning. The irony in this statement is the fact that though the speaker says that he is not against family planning, yet he feels proud at having eleven grandchildren. (vi) How far is the poem a satire on the urban Indian way of life? Ans: The poem The Professor is a satire on the urban Indian way of life as it satirizes: (a) the urban Indian society, which measures the success of a man by his economic success rather than his academic excellence. (b) gender bias present in Indian society which believes that woman should be happily married and confined within the four walls of their domestic life. (c) the pretence of the urban Indians, who consider it as a prestige to speak in a foreign language rather than their mother tongue. (i) Why does the speaker say that we have to change with time ? What does it show about the character of the speaker? Ans: The speaker says that we have to change with times because he feels that since the whole world is changing, so we should also change with the changing times. It shows the pretence of the speaker, who feels that we should change with the changing times, but in reality, he himself clings to the old traditions and does not want to change. (ii) What is that with which India is also keeping up ? Ans: India is keeping up with the changes and development going on in the world. (iii) What according to the speaker is happening to values ? Why? Ans: According to the speaker, new values are replacing the old ones. He feels so because of the rapid changes taking place in society. (iv) Why according to the speaker everything is happening with leaps and bounds ? Ans: According to the speaker, Everything is happening with leaps and bounds because of the rapid changes and development that is taking place in Indian society and the world at large. (v) The poet s use of present continuous tense for simple present indicates the incorrect use of English by the Indians. Give two examples from the above extract of such a usage. Ans: Examples of the use of Indian English in the extract are: (a) We are keeping up. Our progress is progressing. (b) Old values are going, new values are coming. (i) Why does the speaker say that he rarely goes out? What is the price of old age which the speaker has to pay? Ans: The speaker says that he rarely goes out because of his old age. The price of old age which the speaker has to pay is that he rarely goes out. (ii) What does the speaker tell us about his health in the above lines? Ans: The speaker says that apart from usual aches and pains associated with old age, he is hale and hearty without any major disease like diabetes, blood pressure or heart attack. (iii) What reason does the speaker ascribe for his good health? Ans: The speaker ascribes his good health to sound habits practiced by him in his youth. (iv) What according to you might have been the sound habits followed by the speaker in his youth? Ans: The sound habits followed by the speaker in his youth might have been eating balanced diet, regular exercise and abstaining from smoking and drinking. (v) Explain the main theme of the poem. Ans: The main theme of the poem is the hypocrisy and pretence of the urban Indian middle class, which measures the success of an individual in terms of wealth and status rather than academic excellence. (i) What does the speaker mean by saying hope to score a century ? Ans: By saying hope to score a century , the speaker wants to say that he hopes to live up to the age of hundred. (ii) What is meant by man of weight and consequence ? To whom and why does the speaker say that he is a man of weight and consequence ? Ans: Man of weight and consequence means a man, who is physically healthy, economically sound and has a status in society. The speaker says these words to his former student because he finds him physically healthier than what he was earlier and also because of his status in society. (iii) What is the good joke, the speaker is referring to in the above lines? Ans: The good joke referred to by the speaker is that his former student, who is now healthier, once used to be thin like a stick. (iv) Give an example of Indian English used by the speaker in the above lines. Ans: Example of Indian English used by the speaker in the given lines is: (a) You were so thin, like stick. (Stock usage of Indian English) (b) If you were coming this side by chance. (Use of Present Continuous Tense instead of Simple Present Tense) (c) I am living just on opposite house s backside. (Direct translation of the local language) (v) How far is the title of the poem appropriate? Ans: The title of the poem is quite apt because: (a) the entire poem revolves around the character of a retired Professor, his life, his thoughts and actions. (b) through the character of the Professor, the poet has ridiculed the urban, educated, middle class of India, its hypocrisy and pretence. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (i) Whose woods are referred to in the above lines? Why has the speaker stopped by the woods? Answer: The woods belonged to a man, who lived in the village. The speaker has stopped by the woods to watch the snow filling up the woods. (ii) Who will not see the speaker stopping by the woods? The woods are lovely but its owner stays in his house in the village. Comment on this situation. Answer: The owner of the woods will not see the speaker stopping by the woods because he lives in the village. The owner of the woods lives in the village, away from nature. Though he owns the woods, he cannot appreciate and enjoy the beauty of nature. Thus, there are man-made barriers which separate man from nature. (iii) What do the words: woods and the village symbolize in the poem? Answer: Woods, being lovely, dark and deep , symbolize sensuous enjoyment, the darkness of ignorance, as well as the dark inner self of man. The village symbolises society and civilisation, beyond whose borders lie the woods. (iv) Where exactly is the poet standing? What is his attitude towards the woods? Answer: The poet is standing just by the woods and looking at them. He is enchanted by the beauty of the woods. (v) Do you think that the poet is happy with his lonely state in the woods? Give a reason for your answer. Answer: Yes, the poet is happy with his lonely state in the woods because: (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (a) he finds solace in the thoughts that nobody is watching him; and (b) he is enchanted with the natural beauty of the woods, snow and the frozen lake. By referring to the whole poem, state how far Frost is a poet of nature. Answer: Robert Frost is regarded as a poet of nature. Unlike, William Wordsworth, another nature poet, who considers nature as a benevolent mother, Frost considers nature as hostile and alien. In this poem, the poet stops by the woodst and find them lovely, dark and deep . He finds himself being seduced by the natural beauty of the woods. But, he finds this seduction momentary and the charm is soon broken. He remembers that he has to move away from nature to fulfill his worldly obligations. Where has the horse stopped? Why has the horse stopped there? Answer: The horse has stopped between the woods and the frozen lake. The horse has stopped there because the rider (speaker) wants to see the beauty of the woods. What does the horse consider as strange? Why? Answer: The horse considers it strange to stop between the woods and the frozen lake because there is no farmhouse, i.e., civilization, nearby and that too on the darkest evening of the year. What is meant by the darkest evening of the year ? What does the darkness suggest in the poem? Answer: The darkest evening of the year refers to December 22, the longest night of the year, when there is biting cold. The word darkness in the poem is suggestive of the mystery of nature the source of nature s beauty lies in its mystery, not in its familiarity. Taken at a symbolic level, what do the horse and the farmhouse represent? Answer: Symbolically, the horse represents the domesticated part of the society and acts as its agent to remind the speaker of his responsibilities (by shaking of harness bells) and to wean him from indulging in pleasures of nature. Give the main theme of the poem. Explain how the poet has carried out this theme in the poem. Answer: The main theme of the poem is the basic conflict between an attraction towards nature and the pull of responsibilities. In this poem, the speaker stands by the woods and is enchanted by the beauty of nature. The shaking of the harness bells of his horse (symbolizing society) and the sound of the wind (symbolising his inner voice) remind him that he cannot give in to irresponsible indulgence by enjoying the sensual pleasures of nature. He has certain worldly responsibilities which he must fulfill before he goes to sleep or before his life ends. Who is He referred to in the first line of the extract? Why does he shake his harness bells? Answer: He refers to the speaker s horse. He shakes his harness bells to ask the speaker if he has made a mistake in stopping by the woods. What does He consider as a mistake? Why is it said to be a mistake? Answer: He , i.e., the speaker s horse considers it a mistake to stop by the woods because it is away from human society and the speaker is indulging in sensual pleasures of nature forgetting his worldly responsibilities. Give the meaning of the following: The only other sound s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. Answer: The given lines mean that besides the sound made by the shaking of the harness bells of his horse, the only other sound heard was the sound of the moving wind and flakes of snow falling softly like feathers. What is the effect on the speaker of the shaking of the harness bells and the sweeping sound of wind? Answer: The shaking of the harness bells and the sweeping sound of wind break the (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) speaker s reverie and enchantment with nature and jolt him back into the world of reality. He is reminded of his responsibilities, which he must fulfill before he takes rest. How has the poet created an atmosphere of isolation and mystery in the poem? Answer: The poet has created an atmosphere of isolation and mystery in the poem by making the speaker stop by the woods, away from men or human habitation. Further, the depiction of nature like freezing cold, frozen lake, falling snow, darkness and complete silence with the only sounds such as those of the shaking of the harness bells and the sweeping wind has been used to create an atmosphere of isolation and mystery. Why does the speaker consider the woods as lovely, dark and deep ? Why can t the poet enjoy the natural scenery in the woods? Answer: The speaker considers the woods as lovely, dark and deep because he finds them beautiful, mysterious and seductive. He cannot enjoy the natural scenery in the woods because he is reminded of his responsibilities, which he must fulfill and move on in life. What are the promises referred to by the speaker in the poem? Explain the two meanings of the word, sleep. Answer: The promises referred to by the speaker in the poem include the duties he has to perform and the responsibilities, he has to fulfill. The world sleep in the poem has two meanings: (a) a metaphor for final sleep or death; and (b) it is symbolic of the deserved reward which the poet can achieve after keeping his promise, in contrast to the unearned pleasure of looking at the woods. How do you think that the woods act as an obstacle for keeping his promises? Answer: The woods act as an obstacle for keeping the speaker s promises because the beauty of the woods make the speaker forget about the civilization, his responsibilities, which lie outside of the woods and his purpose in life. Give the symbolic meaning of the last two lines of the extract. Answer: The last two lines of the poem are symbolic of the brief span of human life and the duties, which a man has to perform before he goes to sleep or before his life ends. How can you conclude from the poem that Frost is a rural poet? Answer: Robert Frost s poetry is universally recognized as comprising rural themes and dealing with the life of the humble dwellers of the country side. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening describes the natural beauty of the woods, with the soft, silent whiteness of the frost, the frozen lake and the falling snow. It is away from human civilization and enchants the speaker with its beauty and makes him forget his responsibilities. What are the sights and sounds that the poet experiences in the woods? Answer: The poet sees the lovely, dark and deep woods, the frozen lake and the soft, silent whiteness of the frost. The only sounds that he can hear are those made by the shaking of the harness bells of his horse and that of the sweeping wind. (ii) What inner conflict in man is expressed in the poem? Answer: The inner conflict in man expressed in the poem is that between an attraction towards nature and the pull of responsibilities, i.e., the conflict between desire and duty. (iii) What attracts the poet in the woods on a snowy evening? Answer: The natural beauty and mystery of the woods, with the soft, silent whiteness of the frost and the falling snow attract the poet. (iv) How does the poet interpret the shaking of the harness bells of the horse? Give the symbolic menaing of shaking of the harness bells of the horse. Answer: The poet interprets the shaking of the harness bells of the horse as the horse questioning him if he has made a mistake in stopping by the woods, away from human habitation. Symbolically, the shaking of the harness bells of the horse points to the society s act of blaming the speaker for indulging in sensual pleasure, overlooking his responsibilities. (v) How does the extract depict the theme of isolation? Answer: The extract depicts the theme of isolation by portraying the speaker s act of stopping by the woods, away from men or human habitation on a snowy and dark evening. There is complete silence and the only sounds the speaker can hear are from the shaking of the harness bells and the sweeping wind. (vi) Give the contrasting images of the natural world and the man-made world as given in the poem. Answer: The contrasting images of the natural world and the man-made world in the poem are the following: (a) the woods and the farm house. (b) pleasure and business. (c) solitude and society. (d) freedom and responsibility. (e) desire and duty. A Doctor s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 (i) How is the morning described in the extract? In what mood was the narrator? Answer: The morning was calm, beautiful and warm. The narrator was in a relaxed mood and preparing for his daily routine. (ii) What startled the narrator? What did he think of it? (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) Answer: The narrator was startled on seeing two sudden flashes of light. He thought whether the flashes were magnesium flares seen during the war. What was the impact of the explosion on the place and the people? Answer: Due to the impact of the explosion, the roof and the wall of the building collapsed and the debris got scattered all over. The people suffered both physically and mentally. The explosion caused fatal injuries to the human beings, burnt their skin and made it drip off their bodies. How much did the narrator personally suffer in the explosion? Answer: The narrator s clothes got burnt, a splinter ripped through his thigh, his right side bled and his cheek was torn. Give the meaning of: (a) the morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm, (b) A strong flash, then another, startled me. Answer: (a) It means that as the day dawned, it was a peaceful morning, with the warmth of the shinning Sun. (b) It means that the narrator was taken by a surprise on seeing a sudden flash of light followed by another. How did the blood gush out? Why was the narrator panic-stricken? Answer: The blood gushed out from the wounds sustained by the narrator due to the splinters from the explosion, which ripped through parts of his body. The narrator was panic-stricken to see the blood gushing out from his body. What in the extract shows that Yecko-san was badly injured? Answer: Yecko-san was badly injured because she was holding her elbow, was bloodstained and looked pale and frightened. What did the narrator tell his wife consoling her? Answer: The narrator told his wife consoling her that they would be fine. Describe the object they found on the street. What was the reaction of the narrator after finding the object? Answer: When the narrator and his wife were walking on the street, they stumbled against the head of a man, who was crushed to death under a gate. The narrator was scared and horrified. (v) By giving two examples, state how an atmosphere of fear was created by the explosion (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) in the minds of the narrator and his wife. Answer: An atmosphere of fear was created by the explosion in the minds of the narrator and his wife on seeing the gruesome scenes caused by the explosion: (a) Both the narrator and his wife were badly injured due to the explosion and blood was oozing out of their wounds. (b) While walking on the street, they stumbled against the head of a man, who was crushed to death under a gate. Who was dead? What killed him? Answer: The man against whose head the narrator had stumbled was dead. He was crushed to death under a gate. Describe the strange things that happened as stated in the extract? Answer: The strange things that happened in the extract are: (a) The narrator saw a house standing before him suddenly tilt, sway, topple and finally crash. (b) The fire sprang up in the dust and spread widely by the wind. Immediately after the extract, what two decisions does the narrator make? Answer: The two decisions made by the narrator included the following: (a) To rush immediately to the hospital. (b) When the narrator could not move forward due to stiff legs, he asked his wife Yecko-san to go ahead alone to the hospital. Why couldn t the narrator take his injured staff to the hospital? Answer: The narrator could not take his injured staff to the hospital because he was himself badly injured and needed somebody s help to go to the hospital. What physical inconveniences did the narrator suffer after the incidents referred to in the extract? Answer: The physical inconvenience suffered by the narrator included the following: (a) Shortness of breath. (b) Inability to move forward due to stiffness in his legs caused by drying of blood, oozing out from his wounds. Why was the breath of the speaker short? But bit by bit my strength/Seemed to revive considering the post-war history of Japan, what is the symbolism involved in this expression? Answer: The breath of the speaker was short because he was badly wounded due to the bomb explosion and was thirsty. The given statement But bit by bit my strength/seemed to revive symbolises how the Japanese after the nuclear bomb attack, withstood the calamity and with their indomitable spirit and hard work rose up and gradually rebuilt their shattered city and their world. The narrator was conscious that he was naked. Who helped him? How did the offer help the narrator to have self-confidence? Answer: The narrator was helped by a soldier. The soldier gave the narrator a towel to cover up his naked body and thus, gave him the self-confidence to rise up and move forward. Why did he send Yecko-san alone to the hospital? How did he justify his decision to let his wife go alone to the hospital? Answer: The narrator sent his wife, Yecko-san to go alone to the hospital because he was badly injured and could not move forward because of stiffness in his legs. He justified his action of sending his wife alone to the hospital by saying that he had no other choice as he could not walk any further. What did the narrator feel when Yecko-san left for the hospital? Answer: The narrator felt lonely when his wife left for the hospital. (v) Describe the appearance of the people whom the narrator saw. Answer: Some of the people the narrator saw were like mere shadows, whereas others looked like ghosts or scarecrows. Still others were walking with arms stretched out with either a shoulder or a hand dangling loose from their body. (vi) How were the people marching to the hospital? Answer: The people were marching to the hospital without any clothes on their body as if they had come out straight after a bath. (i) Who are they referred to in the extract? Why does the narrator doubt whether they had come back from the bath? Answer: They referred to a woman and a child, both naked, who were marching towards the hospital. The narrator doubted whether they had come straight from the bath because they had no clothes on their bodies. (ii) The poem often refers to nakedness of the body. Figuratively, besides the bomb explosion, who else is responsible for making them naked of clothes as well as human dignity? How? Answer: Besides the bomb explosion, the warring nation (the USA) by perpetrating such a brutal act on them was responsible for making them naked of clothes as well as of human dignity. (iii) What is meant by: Silence was common to us all? Answer: It means that all those who suffered the destruction caused by the bomb explosion, could not utter a word of anguish against those who perpetrated such a brutal act on them. (iv) Describe the physical and psychological sufferings shown in the extract. Answer: The physical suffering shown in the extract is: (a) The people were walking naked as their clothes had got burnt due to the explosion. (b) The face and the bodies of the people had become disfigured. The psychological agony shown in the extract is: (a) The people were dumb-founded because their sensibilities had become numb due to the sudden horror unleashed on them by the bomb explosion. (b) Although they were in great pain, they could not cry. (v) What has appealed to you in the poem? Give two examples to justify your opinion. Answer: The pity and sympathy for the victims of the nuclear bomb explosion that the poem induces, appeals to me. (a) The fear, panic, horror and great devastation suffered by the victims caused by the collapse of the buildings, spread of the debris and fire. (b) The gruesome details of the physical and mental agony of the victims like the narrator stumbling against the head of a man crushed to death under a gate, people looking like shadows, ghosts and scarecrows and the parts of their bodies dangling loose. Thou Must Love Me (Sonnet 14) Sonnets from the Portuguese Elizabeth Barrett Browning I. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for love s sake only. Do not say I love her for her smile her look her way Of speaking gently, for a trick of thought That fails in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day (i) What does the speaker mean by saying let it be for nought ? How does the speaker want her lover to love her? Answer: The words let it be for nought mean let it be for nothing. The speaker wants to tell her lover not to love her for any particular reason. The speaker wants her lover to love her for love s sake only. (ii) What are the things she does not want to be loved for? Answer: She does not want to be loved for her smile, her looks or for her gentle voice. (iii) What is her reason for asking her lover not to love her for those particular traits? Answer: She does not want her lover to love her for particular traits like her appearance and good looks because these traits will fade with the passage of time. (iv) Give the meaning of: (a) for a trick of thought (b) A sense of pleasant ease on such a day Answer: (a) for a trick of thought means for a particular way of thinking, which may mislead her lover. (b) A sense of pleasant ease on such a day means the qualities which may give a sense of comfort to her lover on a particular day. (v) What is meant by the literary device of cumulative listing? Give an example of such a device in the above extract? Answer: Cumulative listing is a technique of listing similar ideas to explain or add examples to a particular statement. The example of cumulative listing in the given extract is: The speaker enumerates her physical characteristics her smile, her looks and her gentle way of speaking for which she does not want to be loved, as these characteristics are changeable and not ever lasting. II. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: For these things in themselves, Beloved, may Be changed, or change for thee, and love so wrought, May be unwrought so. (i) What are these things referred to in the above lines? Answer: These things refer to the traits like her smile, her looks and her gentle way of speaking, for which the speaker does not want her lover to love her. (ii) What is meant by may/Be changed, or change for thee ? Answer: By the statement, may/Be changed, or change for thee, the speaker wants to tell her lover not to love her for the traits like her smile, her looks or her way of speaking as these traits may change with the passage of time or his appreciation of these traits would fade in their appeal for him. (iii) Why doesn t the speaker want to be affected by these changes? Answer: The speaker does not want to be affected by these changes because there is much more to love than these changeable traits. She wants to be loved for true love and not her superficial qualities that would change with the passage of time. (iv) What is the theme of the poem? Answer: The theme of the poem is unconditional love. In the poem, the speaker asks her lover not to love her for the qualities like her beautiful smile, her looks or her gentle voice. She recognises that though these qualities may be endearing to him, but these would fade away in their appeal to him with the passage of time. However, true love is unconditional and not dependent on such changeable physical traits. She wants his love for her should be eternal. (v) What is meant by love, so wrought/May be unwrought so ? Answer: The statement love, so wrought/May be unwrought so means that love that is based on changeable traits may change or diminish with the changes in these traits with the passage of time. Here, the speaker feels that if her lover loves her for only those traits, his love for her would diminish when her physical traits would fade away. III. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: Neither love me for Thine own dear pity s wiping my cheeks dry, A creature might forget to weep, who bore Thy comfort long, and lose they love thereby! (i) What is referred to by dear pity ? What is meant by wiping my cheeks dry ? Answer: The words dear pity refer to the pity the speaker s lover feels for her. The words wiping my cheeks dry means the act of wiping off tears from my cheeks. Here, the speaker wants to tell her lover that she does not want to be loved out of pity. She says that she might not cry and since there would be no tears to be wiped off from her cheeks, she may not be able to produce pity for her in her lover. (ii) Who is the creature referred to in the above lines? Why is it called so? Answer: The word creature is used here for the speaker. It is so called to compare here position with something similar like a whimpering dog or a flopping bird, which instantly invokes pity in human beings. (iii) Suppose the creature forgets to weep what will be its effect on her lover? Answer: If the creature forgets to weep, the lover would not feel any pity for her. This is because she will not have any tears to be wiped off from her cheeks and so would not be able to induce any pity for herself in her lover. (iv) For whom is the word Thy used in the above lines? Answer: The word Thy is used for the speaker s lover. (v) What is the trait, that the poet does not want to be loved for, in the given lines? Answer: The poet does not want to be loved out of pity because she believes that pity on her tears will be lost once she is consoled. IV. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: But love me for love s sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through love s eternity. (i) Why does the poet want to be loved in a particular way? Answer: The poet wants to be loved for love s sake only because in that way she will always be loved no matter what qualities of her fade away with time. (ii) What is meant by through love s eternity ? Answer: The words through love s eternity mean love that is eternal or everlasting. The speaker wants that her lover s love for her should be eternal. (iii) How has love been personified in the above lines? Answer: Love has been personified in these lines by giving love, humanly traits such as possession (love s sake) and a time frame (love s eternity). (iv) How does the poem show the demand of equal status by a woman? Answer: The speaker of the poem, a woman, demands equal status with a man by asking her lover not to love her for her physical attributes or out of pity but for what she is a living, thinking human being. (v) State what you like in the poem. Give reasons for your opinion. Answer: The things which I like in the poem are the following: (a) The speaker s demand for unconditional love, the love which is not based on any superficial qualities that fade away with the passage of time but the love which is eternal. (b) The speaker s demand for equal status with men. She does not want to be loved out of pity but for what she is a living, thinking human being. (vi) With reference to the poem, state how the poem is a sonnet. Answer: The poem, If Thou Must Love Me is a sonnet because: (a) it comprises fourteen lines with a formal rhyming scheme in iambic pentameter, i.e., abba/abba/cdc/dc[d/e]. (b) it is a hybrid of both Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets. In rhyming scheme, it is composed of a Petrarchan octave (eight lines) with the rhyming scheme abba abba and sestet (six lines) with the rhyming scheme cdcdcd or cdecde. However, in its (i) content, it follows the Shakespearean structure of three quatrains (4 + 4 + 4 = 12 lines) and the final resolving couplets. I Believe Who is I referred to in the first line of the extract? Why does the I in the extract want to throw a pebble upwards? Answer: I in the first line of the extract refers to the poet. She wants to throw a pebble upwards to make a hole in the heavens to see the angels at play there. (ii) What will be the result of throwing the pebble upwards? What is the symbolic meaning (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) of throwing the pebble upwards ? Answer: By throwing the pebble upwards, the poet will be able to pierce the heavens and see the angels at play there. Symbolically, the act of throwing the pebble upwards suggests the efforts made to rise in life to achieve unachievable goals. Give the meaning of the following: (a) Pierce the heavens: (b) See the angels at play: Answer: (a) The phrase pierce the heavens means to make a small hole in the universe. It means to achieve unachievable goals with right efforts and conviction. (b) The phrase See the angels at play means to see the spirits, who are believed to be the servants of God and who dwell in heavens. What do the phrases I believe and I can signify? Answer: The phrase I believe signifies the poet s dreams and aspirations whereas the phrase I can signifies the determination and confidence of the speaker at what she believes she can achieve. What does the extract portray about the characteristic traits of the speaker? Answer: The extract portrays the speaker as an optimistic, hard-working person who has the will and determination to achieve all her dreams and aspirations. The speaker believes that she can soar to the heights. What are the possible heights she wants to achieve? Answer: The speaker wants to achieve the highest limit of achievement. For her, sky is the limit for achievements. Give the symbolic meaning of the heights. Answer: Heights symbolise the sky, meaning space without limit for achievement. The poet wishes to convey the message that the sky is the limit for human achievements. What does the speaker mean by touch the silky clouds and feel the stars ? Answer: By the phrase touch the silky clouds the speaker means to reach the highest limits of achievement and the phrase feel the stars means to be one among the list of achievers or stars. What is meant by dive right into the depths ? What is the deeper meaning of the phrase? Answer: Dive right into the depths mean to dive into the deepest ocean. The deeper meaning of this phrase is that one can dive into the depths meaning the ocean of life and cross all the hurdles on the way and achieve success. What does the sharks in the last line of the stanza refer to? What will be the effect of swimming with the sharks? Answer: Sharks in the last line of the stanza refer to the hurdles and difficulties which come in life. By swimming with the sharks one is able to achieve success by overcoming all the difficulties (sharks) on the way. What is the meaning of clawing into the earth s belly? Answer: The phrase clawing into the earth s belly means to dig deep into the earth to get the precious jewels that lie within. (ii) Why does the speaker want to claw into the earth s belly? (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) Answer: The speaker wants to claw into the earth s belly to get all the priceless gems that lie within. What are the priceless gems? Where are these gems found? How can these gems be obtained? Answer: The priceless gems refer to the resources that lie within the earth like metals, minerals and precious stones. These gems can be obtained by toiling hard and digging deep into the earth. Where does the speaker believe she can do many things? Why? Answer: The speaker believes that she can do many things on the earth. She believes so because there are many valuable resources on the earth which she can utilize. Who are the human angels? Why does the speaker call them so? Answer: The human angels are the speaker s fellow human beings on the earth. The speaker has called them so because they are capable of attaining the status of angels by following the righteous path and doing their duty diligently. Why does the speaker say that she firmly believe instead of I believe ? Answer: The speaker says that she firmly believe to emphasise the duties she has to perform in this world before she can indulge in persuing her dreams and aspirations. What is the role assigned to her? What does here mean? Answer: Being a woman, the role assigned to the speaker is that of a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother. The word here refers to the planet earth where she lives and dreams to fulfill a number of aspirations. Give the meaning of: where I dream and breathe. Answer: The phrase where I dream and breathe means the place, i.e., the earth, where the speaker dreams and lives, to perform her duties and achieve her goals and aspirations. Do you feel that the speaker feels that the role assigned to her acts as a hindrance in achieving her dreams? Give a reason for your answer. Answer: Yes, the speaker seems to feel that the role assigned to her because of being a woman, acts as a hindrance in achieving her dreams. This is because of the social constraints due to the gender based denial and discrimination prevalent in Indian society. The speaker believes that she has to complete the role assigned to her. What does it tell us about the speaker and the women in general? Answer: It tells us that the speaker, like all the other women, has to perform all the duties assigned to her, like that of a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother and so on, before she can fulfill her own dreams and aspirations. The women in general feel restricted in achieving their aspirations due to the social constraints imposed on them by traditions, customs and religion for being a woman. A Psalm of Life What are mournful numbers? Answer: The words mournful numbers refer to the sorrowful verses, through which the speaker does not want to be told that life is a meaningless dream. (ii) What is meant by: Life is but an empty dream ? How can life be an empty dream? Answer: It means that life is a meaningless dream and an illusion. Life can be an empty dream if human beings spend their time meaninglessly without having a goal in life. (iii) What does the poet intend to convey to his readers by saying: the soul is dead that slumbers ? What does he say, later in the poem about acting at the present moment? Answer: By saying, the soul is dead that slumbers , the poet intends to say that one, who spends his time aimlessly is really a dead man. Therefore, one must always be up and doing. The speaker, later in the poem, says that one should rely neither on the (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) future nor on the past, but should live in the present moment with courage in oneself and trust in God. Under what circumstances, are things not what they seem? Answer: Those who live an irresponsible life and while their away time aimlessly depict life as a meaningless dream. This does not reflect the true nature of human life. No man is a great poet, without being, at the same time, a profound thinker. What is the moral principle hinted at in the extract? Answer: Yes, indeed a profound thinker can be a great poet because only a thinker can give vent to the feelings and aspirations of humanity at large and reflect the true nature of human life. The moral principle hinted in the extract is that life is not an empty dream but has a serious mission. Explain what type of attitude in human beings is condemned in the extract. Answer: The human attitude of irresponsible indulgence in useless pursuits and meaningless thinking is condemned in this extract. Life is real! What was said earlier in the poem to indicate that there are appearances rather than realities in life? Answer: Earlier in the poem, it was said that life is a meaningless dream. This gloomy aspect of life is misleading and not a reality, for it does not reflect its true nature. What is meant by And the grave is not its goal? What conviction does the poet have about life after death? Answer: It means that death is not the end of life. The poet strongly believes in life after death because he says that death marks the end of the body and not the soul. Mention in your words what is meant by Dust thou art, to dust returnest. Which allusion is referred to in this statement? Answer: Dust thou art, to dust returnest means that the body comes from dust and returns to dust. The allusion in the statement is that God formed man out of clay and breathed life into him. But, when Adam and Eve, the first human beings, disobeyed God, they were punished by pronouncing the Law of Death on them, which says, Dust thou art and unto dust thou shall return. Explain clearly what returns to the dust and what doesn t return to the dust. Answer: The human body, which is perishable, returns to the dust, from which it appeared. However, the soul is imperishable and does not return to the dust. State with two examples, the lyrical quality of the poem. (Hint: imagery, rhyming scheme, a personal message, etc.) Answer: Two examples of lyrical quality in the poem are: (a) Each stanza of the poem follows the rhyming scheme abab, according to which, the first line rhymes with the third and the second line rhymes with the fourth. (b) It is a musical lyric that invokes mankind to live in the present and follow the path of righteousness. What is referred to as the world s broad field of battle? Why is it referred to as the battlefield? Answer: The world s broad field of battle refers to the whole world being a big battlefield. It is referred to as the battlefield because here, every human being has to work hard and struggle to live and fight the battle of life, within the allotted time. Give the meaning of bivouac of life. How should one act in the bivouac? Answer: Bivouac of life means that this world is a temporary camp for human beings, where they live and struggle for a fixed period of time and then leave it, when their bodies die. One should fight against all odds in this bivouac and emerge as a hero. What is indicated by the expression, dumb, driven cattle ? Answer: The expression, dumb, driven cattle means that human beings should not be like the dumb cattle, which is driven by others, because it lacks direction and determination. Human beings should fight against all odds and emerge as heroes. (iv) Why shouldn t one trust in the Future nor in the Past? (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Answer: One should not trust the future because one is not aware of what is going to happen in the future. Similarly, one should not trust the past because one cannot change the past. So, one should live in the present moment and make the best out of it. Give the meaning of: (a) Let the dead Past bury its dead! (b) Heart within, and God o erhead! Answer: (a) Let the dead Past bury its dead! means that we should not be captivated by the past events and they should be put away because we cannot change them and therefore, we should live in the present moment. (b) Heart within, and God o erhead! means that one should not rely on the past or the future and live in the present moment with courage in oneself and trust in God. State the moral principle underlying the extract. Answer: The moral principle underlying the extract is that the whole world is a big battlefield and a temporary rest camp. So, we should not be dumb like cattle, who are driven by others, but should find our own way. What do the lives of great men teach us? Answer: The lives of great men teach us that we can also achieve great heights by emulating them. State how we can make our life sublime in the following situations: (a) in the life s battlefield (b) in the present moment of life Answer: (a) We can make our life sublime in the life s battlefield by fighting against all odds, finding our own way and becoming a success. (b) We can make our life sublime by living in the present moment without bothering for the future or the past and making the best use of available time and resources. What is meant by: Footprints on the sands of time? How can we benefit from the footprints on the sands? Answer: Footprints on the sands of time mean the noble work done by great men which act as milestones and show the way to others to make their lives successful. We can benefit from the footprints on the sands by following the path shown by great men and achieving new heights in life. Which lines in the poem appeal to you the most? Give a reason to justify your answer? Answer: The lines which appeal to me the most include the following: Let us, then, be up and doing With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing Learn to labour and to wait. This is because the above lines provide the lesson on how to live a successful life. These lines teach us that, we should never give up, continue our work confidently, facing any situation in life, favourable or unfavourable and without being preoccupied with the outcome of our actions. We should continue our efforts persistently and learn to wait patiently for the rewards. Describe briefly the gloomy picture of life shown by the speaker in the poem. Answer: The gloomy picture of life shown by the speaker in the poem includes the following: (a) Life is a meaningless dream. (b) The work assigned to us is too demanding and time-consuming. But time passes quickly leaving us bewildered. (i) Whose footprints are referred to in the extract? Answer: Footprints of the noble deeds performed by us, which can encourage an unhappy and ruined man, sailing over the sea of life, are referred to in the extract. (ii) Give the meaning of: (a) Sailing o er life s main (b) A forlorn and shipwrecked brother Answer: (a) Sailing o er life s solemn main mean sailing over the sea of life. (b) A forlorn and shipwrecked brother mean an unhappy and deserted man, who has gone astray from the right path. (iii) Why are the footprints referred to in the extract? Answer: The footprints are referred to in the extract because they can motivate an unhappy and deserted man, who has gone astray from the right path, by following the path shown by these footprints. (iv) State what the poet wants to convey in these lines: Let us then be up and doing With a heart for any fate: Answer: The poet wants to convey that we should begin our work courageously facing any situation in life, favourable or unfavourable. (v) Do you enjoy reading the poem? Give two reasons to justify your answer. Answer: Yes, indeed I enjoyed reading the poem for the following reasons: (a) It instructs and guides us on how to lead an upright life. It inspires us to continue our work without being bogged down by the circumstances. (b) It is a musical lyric that has a swift rhythm and rhyming Pattern. Prose (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) India s Heroes Who is Mrs. Baruah? Give her full name. Why does she exclaim Wonderful ? Answer: Mrs. Baruah is a teacher, teaching the students of Class Eight, Section A. Her full name is Mrs. Reeta Baruah. She exclaims wonderful when, in response to her question about the number of students who have completed their assignment, all the forty students raise their hand in affirmation. What assignment did Mrs. Baruah give and to whom? What is the strength of the class? How do we know that the children had done the assignment? Answer: Mrs. Baruah gave an assignment to the students of Class Eight, section A, to write what they would like to be when they grew up. There were forty students in the class. All the forty student raised their hands in affirmation when Mrs. Baruah asked them if they had completed their assignment. What else does the author write at the start of the story, which tells us that the students were eager to speak in front of the classmates? What does their eagerness indicate? Answer: According to the author, the students fidgeted and shifted in their seats before Mrs. Baruah entered. This shows their eagerness to speak in front of their classmates. Their eagerness indicated that they had completed their assignment and were interested in sharing it with their classmates. Who was the first speaker? What did he speak of? Who was his idol? Answer: Ajit Basu was the first speaker. He spoke about his desire of becoming the best cricketer in the world. Sachin Tendulkar was his idol. Name the next two speakers. What did they want to be when they grew up? Answer: The next two speakers were Gayatri Chhabra and Sanjay Damle. Gayatri wanted to become a social worker, whereas Sanjay Damle wanted to become a pilot. What is your opinion of Mrs. Baruah with regard to her profession? Give reasons for your answer. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) Answer: Mrs. Baruah was an accomplished teacher, who had a student-centered approach of teaching. (a) She gave the students an assignment, with which they could relate themselves, i.e., to write what they would like to be when they grew up. Consequently, all the students brought their completed assignments. (b) She was a strict disciplinarian. That is why the students maintained strict discipline in her class and spoke only when their turn came. Whom does he refer to in the extract? How would you describe him as a student? Answer: He refers to Kabeer. Kabeer seems to be a hard working and intelligent student. Though he was shy at making speeches before the entire class, he put in extra efforts to complete his assignment. He not only wrote something different from his classmates but also presented it with such confidence that he drew everybody s attention and evoked the emotions of both his classmates and his teacher. Was he very confident as he stood up to speak before the entire class? What tells you so? Answer: No, he was not confident when he stood up to speak before the entire class. This is evident from the fact that his hands shook slightly and beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead, both being signs of nervousness. What did the other children speak about? How was this speaker s speech different from that of the other students? Answer: The other children spoke about becoming social workers, pilots, movie stars, sportsmen and politicians. The speaker, unlike his classmates who spoke about the famous and successful personalities, spoke about the unsung heroes of India who laid down their lives to save the lives of their fellow countrymen, during the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai. When did Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan become a part of the NSG? How had he served in the army before he joined the NSG? Answer: Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan joined NSG in January 2007. Before joining the NSG, he served two tenures with his battalion in counter-insurgency and counterterrorist operations. Write, in your own words, the reaction of the students as the speaker spoke about the life of Major Unnikrishnan? What do you think could be reason for such a reaction? Answer: When the speaker spoke about the life of Major Unnikrishnan, there was complete silence in the class and everybody listened attentively. This was because the students were listening about the extraordinary sacrifice of a brave heart, who laid down his life, fighting the terrorists. It was different from the accounts of people about whom they had listened from their other classmates. Describe the role played by Major Unnikrishnan during the November 2008 attacks on Mumbai. Answer: Who was Vishnu Zende? What made him guess that something was wrong? Answer: Vishnu Zende was an announcer with the Mumbai railways for ten years. When he heard a loud explosion at one end of the railway platform and saw bloodstains on the clothes of some people, he guessed that something was wrong. What does Vishnu Zende s staying at his position, in the face of danger, tell us about him? How did his announcements help the people? Answer: Vishnu Zende s act of staying in his position, in the face of danger speaks volumes of his courage, his selfless devotion to his duty and his presence of mind in the face of calamity. Vishnu Zende s announcements from the public address system at the railway platform helped hundred of passengers to move out of the platform from a different exit and thus saved their lives. (iii) What is the scene outside the classroom as Kabeer speaks about Mr. Zende? Are the (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) students affected by it? Answer: The scene outside the classroom was noisy with the chirping of the birds, honking of cars and the younger children enjoying their recess. No, the students were not affected by it. They remained unconcerned with what was happening outside and focused their attention on Kabeer s speech. Who is the next hero that Kabeer speaks about? What role did he play during the terrorist attacks on Mumbai? Answer: The next hero Kabeer spoke about was Karambir Singh Kang, the General Manager of the Taj Hotel, Mumbai. He helped in evacuating the guests and his staff from the hotel. He continued his duty even on being informed that his own wife and children had died of suffocation in the same hotel. What loss did this hero suffer in the terrorist attacks? How? What was his reaction to that irreparable loss? Answer: This hero lost his wife and his children, as they died of suffocation on being trapped in a room in the Taj Hotel, which was attacked by the terrorists. Despite suffering an irreparable loss of losing his entire family, Karambir Kang did not give up his duty and continued to evacuate the guests safely from the hotel. What qualities of this hero does Kabeer mention in his speech? Why does he attribute these qualities to him? Answer: Kabeer mentioned Karambir Kang s loyalty and devotion to his duty. He attributed these qualities to him because even after suffering an irreparable loss of losing his entire family, he did not quit his job and remained at the Taj hotel and helped to restore the heritage structure of the hotel. What was Hemant Karkare s designation during the Mumbai terrorist attacks? How did he do his duty during the attacks? Answer: Hemant Karkare was the Chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad. He pursued the terrorists in a jeep, without caring for his own life. Who were Hemant Karkare s other two companions? How did the three lose their lives? Answer: Hemant Karkare s companions included DIG Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar. The three lost their lives, when they were gunned down by terrorists, whom they were pursuing in a jeep. What does the role of Hemant Karkare and his comrades during the Mumbai terrorist attacks tells us about them? Answer: Hemant Karkare and his two comrades DIG Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar were true patriots, who considered their duty before self and sacrificed their lives while fighting the terrorists. What is the reaction of the speaker, the students and the teacher at this point in the story? Answer: The speaker had goose bumps on his arms whereas the students in his class became emotional. Their teacher, Mrs. Baruah became so emotional that tears welled up in her eyes. Who does Kabeer speak about next? What role did he play during the Mumbai terrorist attacks? Answer: Kabeer next spoke about Mohammed Taufeeq Sheikh, popularly known as Chottu Chaiwala who ran a tea stall outside CST station, Mumbai. He helped to transport the victims of the terrorist attack to the nearby St. George Hospital and thus, saved their lives. Who was Sandra? How was she associated with Moshe? Answer: Sandra Samuel was an Indian nanny to two-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, who neither belonged to her nationality nor her religion. She saved Moshe s life during the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, in which Moshe s parents were killed. (ii) What does the action of the caretakers of kabristans tell us about these people? What (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) did they prove by their action? Answer: The action of the caretakers of the Kabristans in refusing to allow the dead terrorists to be buried there tells us that they were above all social barriers. They proved by their action that man s supreme duty is to love and respect other human beings and that no religion is above humanity. What, according to Kabeer, is the only true religion in this world? What do you think of him from his speech? Answer: According to Kabeer, the only true religion in the world is love and respect for all human beings. From his speech, Kabeer comes out to be a person, who not only values courage, fearlessness, selflessness and caring for other but also practises it. What was the reaction of the class when Kabeer s speech ended? What effect did his speech have on Mrs. Baruah? Answer: The whole class was touched by Kabeer s speech. It stirred up their emotions and tears welled up in their eyes. Mrs. Baruah was on the verge of crying but she hid her tears from her students by dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief to wipe her tears. What was Mrs. Baruah s opinion of the students as she stood watching them at the end of Kabeer s speech? Answer: Mrs. Baruah felt proud to see her students cherish the virtues of peace, tolerance, sense of duty and selflessness. She was of the opinion that her students would act as pillars to uphold the virtues of peace, tolerance and selflessness in an India that would one day be terror free and lead the world. Journey by Night Whom does he refer to? What things did he run for? Answer: He refers to Sher Singh. He ran to get water, sticks and dung for the fire to get hot water for his sick, younger brother. Who is the child referred to in the extract? What ailment was he suffering from? Answer: The child referred to in the extract is Sher Singh s younger brother, Kunwar. He was suffering from acute stomach ache. What was Sher Singh s mother s reaction to the child s illness? Why? Answer: Sher Singh s mother was worried to see her child s illness but she did not react at all. This was because she had gone through such ordeals many times when her other children had gradually moved towards death. Where was Kalaghat? How far was it from Sher Singh s village? How did the villagers reach there? Answer: Kalaghat was a town in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. It was fifty miles away from Sher Singh s village, Laldwani. The villagers used to go Kalaghat by crossing two rivers and then taking a lift in a bullock cart or a broken-down truck. How did Sher Singh react when his mother mentioned the word hospital ? Why? Answer: Sher Singh was shocked to know that his brother had to be hospitalized. This was because of the belief prevalent among the jungle people that hospital was the place for those who were destined to die. What did the boy suggest he would do? How did his mother respond to his suggestion? What does this tell us about her? Answer: The boy suggested that he would call his father to take his younger brother to the hospital at Kalaghat. The mother said that it would be too late before his father would reach home. It tells us that she was wise enough to judge the severity of her child s deteriorating condition and that by the time her husband would return, the child s condition would deteriorate further and may even prove fatal. Who was Bahadur the Brave? Why was he given this title? Answer: Bahadur the Brave was the title given to Sher Singh Bahadur. He was given this title because of his deeds of courage, which helped save the lives of many, (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) whenever he accompanied an expedition in the forest in search of big game, either to photograph or shoot them. Where did Bahadur live? What was his usual occupation? What else did he do? Answer: Bahadur lived in Laldwani village. He was a farmer by occupation. Besides farming, he was famous as a hunter. Why did the members of expeditions want Bahadur the Brave to join them? Answer: The members of the expeditions wanted Bahadur to join them because (a) he had a thorough knowledge of the forest around his village. (b) He was familiar with the sounds of animals and birds, which proved as an asset during a hunting or photographic expedition. How did Bahadur get the scars on his body? Answer: Bahadur got scars on his body, when he was attacked by a tiger while saving one of his comrades from the tiger. The tiger s claws tore open his flesh down his skull to the back of his shoulder and left the scars there. Where was Bahadur away at the moment? What did his actions tell us about him? Answer: Bahadur was away in jungle on a photographic expedition. His actions tells us that he was a brave and adventure-loving man, who was ever ready to be a part of any expedition in the jungle. What do you think of Bahadur s attitude towards his family? How was his family affected because of his attitude? Answer: Bahadur was negligent of his duties towards his family. Most of the times he used to be away in the jungle on hunting or shooting trips seeking adventure, overlooking the needs of his wife and children. It was because of Bahadur s negligent attitude that his family suffered. Perhaps, it was Bahadur s absence from his family for days together that his other children could not be saved from death, caused by cholera, influenza and jungle accidents. Who was Sher Singh s younger brother? Where had he to be taken and why? Describe his condition. Answer: Kunwar Singh was Sher Singh s younger brother. He had to be taken to the hospital because of acute pain in his stomach and fever. Sher Singh s brother was in a serious condition. He was writhing in such a pain that Sher Singh could see death in his eyes. Where was Sher Singh s father? Why were there no men in the village? Answer: Sher Singh s father was away in jungle, accompanying a photographic expedition. There were no men in the village because all of them had accompanied Sher Singh Bahadur as beaters on the photographic expedition in the jungle. How did Sher Singh s mother know about carrying loads? What did she do to make it easier for Sher Singh to carry his brother? Answer: Sher Singh s mother being a hill woman knew about carrying loads. She took one of her two saris to make a sling that could be put around Sher Singh s forehead and down his back, to carry his sick, younger brother to the hospital. What was the mother s feeling when Sher Singh got ready to carry his brother? What did she say to Sher Singh? What was the boy s response? Answer: The mother felt that Sher Singh s brother was too big to be carried by Sher Singh all through the fifty miles to the hospital at Kalaghat. She said that he would not be able to get to the hospital. The boy did not respond in any way and set off silently from there. What do you thing about the financial condition of Sher Singh s family from the above extract? Give other examples from the story to support your answer. Answer: Sher Singh s family was not financially sound. According to the extract, Sher Singh s mother had to look after the cattle and work their land when his father used to be away in the jungle because otherwise they would be starved. The other examples from the story are: (a) Sher Singh had to gather sticks from the forest for firewood. (b) Sher Singh s mother had only two saris and used one of them for making the sling. (c) They did not have the basic necessities of life like water, which had to fetch from far away. (vi) What does Sher Singh s decision to take his brother alone to the hospital tell us about the boy? Answer: Sher Singh s decision to take his brother alone to the hospital tells us that he was not only a responsible boy but also selfless and had a deep love for his brother. (i) What is this beautiful creature of metallic scales ? What was the creature doing on the jungle path? What did it do when Sher Sing stepped close to it? Answer: It was a cobra. The creature was sunning itself on the jungle path in the last of the daylight. When Sher Singh stepped close to it, it contracted and rose with a hiss, spreading its hood. (ii) What was Sher Singh s reaction when his eyes fell on the creature? What did he do next? Answer: On seeing the creature, Sher Singh was petrified and stood frozen. He backed away from the cobra. (iii) Where was Sher Singh heading towards? What plan had he in mind to reach the place? Answer: Sher Singh was heading towards the hospital at Kalaghat. He had planned to pass through the jungle, cross two rivers and complete the rest of his journey by taking a lift in a bullock cart or a truck. (iv) What were the challenges the jungle presented to the boy? Why did the beasts of prey pose more danger to the humans now than before? Answer: The jungle presented many challenges to the boy in the form of impenetrable thorny bushes and scrubs and a number of wild animals, ready to devour him. The beasts of prey posed more danger to the humans now than before because poaching had reduced the deer population considerably and forced the beasts of prey to kill domestic animals and even human beings for food. (v) What made the boy quicken his steps on the journey? Answer: The boy quickened his steps on the journey on seeing bear tracks in the dust and thus, avoiding a possible encounter with the bear. (vi) When and where did Sher Singh decide to rest? Why? Answer: Sher Singh decided to take rest on a cliff above the river bed because he was extremely tired and knew that he would not be able to go any further without taking rest. (i) Where were Sher Singh and Kunwar when they heard the jostle and squeal of elephants? What happened just before they heard the squeal of the elephants? Answer: Sher Singh and Kunwar were on the cliff, when they heard the jostle and squeal of elephants. Sher Singh was tired and his back and forehead were hurting, so he gently put down Kunwar to take rest, when they heard squeal of the elephants. (ii) Who was the leader of the herd of elephants? Why was he more aggressive now than he would have been at any other time? Answer: An old elephant was the leader of elephants. He was more aggressive at that time because of the period of heightened aggressiveness that happens annually in male elephants. (iii) Why was Sher Singh chilled with fright a little later? Why couldn t he escape in the situation? Answer: Sher Singh chilled with fright because the old elephant, moving his tusk to and fro came round towards him. He could not escape in the situation because he could neither climb nor run, carrying his brother on his back. (iv) What did Sher Singh do at the time of danger? What does it tell us about him? What was the result of his action? Answer: Sher Singh earnestly prayed to God to avert the danger. It tells us that Sher Singh was a brave boy who had firm belief in God. It seems that God heard Sher Singh s prayers and consequently, the elephant hurriedly went away. (v) What was Sher Singh s next step immediately afterwards? Why? Answer: Immediately after being saved from the elephants, Sher Singh got up and decided to continue his journey. This was because he heard an elephant trumpet at a distance and could not take the risk of being attacked by elephants again. (i) What had Sher Singh anticipated before he stepped into the first river? What difficulties did he face in crossing it? Answer: Sher Singh had anticipated the river would be shallow and the water would not be very cold as the snow-water would not have entered the river by that time. However, when Sher Singh entered the river, he found the water colder than he had anticipated. Besides, it was almost waist-deep, deeper than what he had thought. Further, there was the danger of his falling into the river because of slime on the stone. (ii) Describe the bridge at the second river. How was it made? Answer: The bridge at the second river was a kutcha, impermanent one. It was made of rings of bamboo poles driven into the river bed and tied round and were filled with stones to make the piers of the bridge. The surface of the bridge was also made of bamboos laid down horizontally and across and laced thick grass and river gravel. (iii) How were Sher Singh s hopes shattered when he reached the second river? What state was the river in? What had happened to the bridge? Answer: When Sher Singh reached the second river, his hopes were shattered to see the river in flood, as he had not expected floods at that time of the year. The river was in flood because of the melting of a big head of snow. The bridge over the river had submerged because of the sudden floods in the river. (iv) How did the breaking of the bridge make matters worse for the boy? Answer: The breaking of the bridge made matters worse for the boy because now the boy had to swim across the flooded river, with his younger brother on his back. (v) How did Sher Singh cross the second river? In what way did he make sure that his brother was not harmed? Answer: The boy crossed the second river by moving along the wreck of the broken bridge and holding on to anything he could hold along the way. He made sure that his brother was not harmed by making a rope of grass and tying it round his brother and himself and by keeping his brother s head above water. (vi) What challenges did the second river present, as the boy tried to cross it? Answer: As Sher Singh and his brother entered the second river, the river seized them and flattened them against the wreck of the broken bridge. With great difficulty, Sher Singh managed to move holding on to the things he could get hold of. But the flood water defeaned him and the timber banged and bruised him. The water was too cold for him to keep his hold. So he was deaf, blinded, frozen and drowned. But he continued moving ahead and finally crossed the second river. (i) How did Sher Singh reach the hospital after crossing the river? Answer: After crossing the river, Sher Singh took a lift, first in a bullock cart and then in a truck to reach the hospital. (ii) Why were the people surprised to hear his story? Answer: People were surprised to hear his story when they came to know that he has brought his sick brother to the hospital all alone by crossing the flooded river. (iii) What work did Sher Singh do at the rail yards? How much did he earn? What did he do with the money? Answer: At the rail yards, Sher Singh got the work of loading coal. He earned a few pence. With the money, he bought coarse atta (flour), some mustard oil and chillis to cook a meal for himself. (iv) Where did Sher Singh put up in the hospital? What feelings overcame him? Answer: Sher Singh put up in the hospital compound, where the relatives of other patients in the hospital were camping. Sher Singh was overtaken by the feelings of anxiety about the condition of his ailing, younger brother and expected the worst. (v) How did the doctor address Sher Singh? Why? What reply did he give to the doctor? Answer: The doctor addressed Sher Singh as Sher Singh Bahadur. He did so to applaud his deed of bravery of carrying his ailing brother, all along to the hospital. Sher Singh replied that his father Sher Singh Bahadur was not present there and that his name was Sher Singh. (vi) What news did the doctor give to the boy? Answer: The doctor informed Sher Singh that his brother was out of danger and that he would live. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Hunger Who was Rizwan? Where was he standing and why? Answer: Rizwan was an educated young man, who was in search of a job. He was standing in a crowded market place, to look out for a person, whom he could interview for a newspaper. What thought crossed Rizwan s mind as he stood in the crowded market place? Answer: As Rizwan stood in the crowded market place, he thought that although there was unemployment, yet people were eating and drinking and buying expensive articles. Who was the man walking in Rizwan s direction? What load was he carrying and why? Answer: Kasim, a rag-seller was walking in Rizwan s direction. He was carrying a load of old clothes to be sold to the intended buyers, who included poor labourers. Why did Rizwan stop the man? Why didn t he exchange any greetings with him? What did it tell about Rizwan s character? Answer: Rizwan stopped the man to take his interview for the Kihaan Newspaper. He did not exchange any greetings with the man because he did not consider it necessary to show respect to a poor, rag-seller. This shows that Rizwan lacked politeness and manners. Further, he had double standards because he greeted people in his office. How did Rizwan treat the man walking in his direction in the market? Answer: Rizwan neither greet the man nor ask him anything to build a rapport with him before starting the interview. Who is the first speaker in these lines? Whom is he addressing to? Why? Answer: Rizwan is the speaker in these lines. He is addressing a poor, rag-seller, Kasim. He is doing so because he is interviewing him for the Kihaan Newspaper. Why does Chacha get angry? Answer: Chacha gets angry when Rizwan asks him where he lives because he does not have a permanent home and lives wherever he gets a place, like in front of a shop or under a bridge. Who are the people in the Chacha s family? What is said about them? Answer: The story only mentions Chacha s father and his son. His father was an old man, who used to work as labourer and did not earn decent wages for a living. His son was a four-year old boy, who used to play around in the village, chase dogs and would take up his father s profession of rag-selling, on attaining the age of five. How was the government apparently helping the poor farmers? What was the Chacha s attitude towards the policies of the government? Why? Answer: The government was apparently helping the poor farmers by giving land to them and providing education to their children. Chacha considered the policies of government as futile and false promises to solicit votes. He felt so because he was a poor labourer and his father, grandfather and great grandfather were poor labourers, who did not get any benefit from the government policies to alleviate their poverty. Who is a tout ? What does the first speaker tell us about his profession? Answer: A tout is a person who persuades somebody on behalf of another person or (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) organization to buy something or take a particular action. The first speaker says that he is a journalist by profession. Who are the speakers in these lines? Where are they present at the moment? Answer: Rizwan, the interviewer and Kasim, the interviewee are the speakers in these lines. They are present in a crowded market place. Who is the Shah referred to here? Explain the context in which he is referred to. Answer: Shah refers to ruler of Iran, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Rizwan, the interviewer asked Kasim, a poor rag-seller (the interviewee), if he knew who was the Shah, to which he replied in negative. What does the second speaker say about what the father has told him? Answer: The second speaker, i.e., Kasim says that his father had told him that his father (Kasim s grandfather) died of hunger or cold. What do we get to know about the Shah s reign from the answers given by the second speaker? Answer: The answer given by the second speaker reveals that during the Shah s reign, there was widespread poverty. The labourers could hardly earn enough to make both ends meet and therefore, many used to die of hunger and starvation. What does the second speaker s son do? What plan does his father have for the boy? Answer: The second speaker s son was a child of four years, who used to play around in village, chasing dogs. The speaker wanted him to join his profession of rag-selling, on attaining the age of five. What does Rizwan want to make the rag-seller understand? Answer: Rizwan wanted to tell the rag-seller that the government was helping the poor farmers and that he could take loan from the bank, to set up his business and lead a better life. Do you think Rizwan was really sent by the government? Give a reason in support of your answer. Answer: No, Rizwan was not sent by the government because he was interviewing Kasim on behalf of the Kihaan Newspaper, where Rizwan had joined that day only. Why does Kasim say that he did not want a better life? Answer: Kasim said that he did not want a better job because he was satisfied with his lot and he had no faith in the promises made by the government for the welfare of the poor. What similar things, according to Kasim, happened on an earlier occasion? How did it affect his life? Answer: The similar things, which happened with Kasim earlier included the promises made by the government to improve the lot of the poor and the government s total apathy towards their poor condition later on. Where does Kasim spend his nights? Why? Answer: Kasim used to spend his nights in front of a shop or under a bridge. He used to do so because he had no home or shelter to spend the nights. Why does Kasim say that they couldn t meet there the next day? What did he do next? Answer: Kasim said that he could not meet Rizwan the next day in the market place because he was going to his village. He then told Rizwan that it was time for him to start his work and carrying his goods, went away hurriedly from there. Why did the rag-seller simply walk away? Answer: The rag-seller simply walked away because he did not want to waste any more time in discussing the shallow political propaganda of the government. What made Rizwan feel helpless? Answer: Rizwan felt helpless when Kasim, the rag-seller, whom he was interviewing, went away without giving his address, for he (Kasim) was a homeless, poor man. (iii) What were the conditions laid down by the newspaper office, based on which Rizwan (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) would be considered for the job? Answer: Rizwan would be considered for a job in the Kihaan Newspaper on the condition that he would contribute a few articles and submit interviews with five people along with their names and addresses for the newspaper. What made the task difficult for Rizwan? Answer: The task of interviewing people for the newspaper was made difficult for Rizwan by the lack of a permanent address of the poor rag-seller, whom he had interviewed. The condition for Rizwan being given a job in the newspaper stipulated that he had to give the interviews of five people with their names and addresses. What personal problems did Rizwan face at home? Answer: Rizwan s father had died two years ago and his mother was ill. His two younger brothers had dropped out of school due to financial problems. He was the eldest boy in the family, and he did not have a permanent job. If he did not get a job, his family would have to starve. What was Rizwan thinking of as he walked to the newspaper office? Why did he feel dejected? Answer: Rizwan was thinking of his unending problems at home which included the sickness of his mother and his two younger brothers dropping out of school because of financial constraints. He was feeling dejected because he could not get the address of the person he had interviewed and the interview had to be submitted in the newspaper only with the name and the address of the interviewee. How was Rizwan s conduct with men at the newspaper office different from that with Kasim? What does this tell us about him? Answer: At his office, Rizwan greeted everyone, although he had joined the office that day only. But he did not greet Kasim when he met him at the market place. He straight away started asking him questions for the interview. It shows that Rizwan followed double standards and did not think it important to show any respect to Kasim, a ragseller. Besides, he lacked the experience of a reporter. What did Rizwan do before submitting the interview at the newspaper office? Why? Answer: Before submitting the interview at the newspaper office, Rizwan wrote his own name and address on Kasim s interview. He did so because the condition laid by the newspaper for Rizwan to be considered for the job of a journalist, stipulated that the interview must have the name and address of the interviewee. As Rizwan came out of the newspaper office, what satisfaction did he feel? Why was he worried at the same time? Answer: When Rizwan came out of the newspaper office, he had the satisfaction that he had submitted one interview for the newspaper and consequently, would have the work for at least the next day. He was worried about finding the names and addresses of the people to be interviewed the next day so that the possibility of getting a job would continue to exist for him. Why did Rizwan want to reach home as quickly as possible? Answer: Rizwan wanted to reach home as quickly as possible because he was extremely tired and hungry. How is socio-economic inequality brought out in the story? Answer: The socio-economic inequality is brought out in the story by the following: (a) There were customers in the market, who were purchasing expensive items and enjoying themselves, eating and drinking. In contrast to them was Rizwan, an educated, jobless young man. He did not have money in his pocket even to satiate his hunger. His two younger brothers had dropped out of school because of financial constraints. (b) There was Kasim, a rag-seller, who represented the have-nots. He lived in the city (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) and used to sell rags to those who could not afford to buy new clothes. Kasim did not have any home and slept wherever he got a place. He told Rizwan that his father, grandfather and great grandfather worked hard as labourers but could not earn enough to make both ends meet. My Lost Dollar Who is Todd? What kind of relationship exists between Todd and the narrator? Answer: Todd is a Major in the army and the narrator s friend, who had borrowed a dollar from the narrator a year ago. Todd and the narrator seem to be close friends because they meet each other frequently and the issue of the borrowed dollar does not make any difference in their trust and friendship for each other. When and why did Todd borrow a dollar from the narrator? How much time has passed since then? Answer: Todd borrowed a dollar from the narrator to pay his taxi fare because he did not have any change with him. One year had passed since he borrowed the dollar from the narrator. Why has Todd failed to return the loan? What does it tell us about him? Answer: Todd has failed to return the loan because of forgetfulness. This tells us that Todd is a careless and forgetful man. Give the meaning of: (a) It will make no difference: (b) I carry the recollection of it to the grave: Answer: (a) It means that the narrator s friend s act of borrowing a dollar and then forgetting to pay it back would not make any difference to their friendship. (b) The narrator means to say that if somebody borrows something from him, he will remember it throughout his life. As far as the memory is concerned, how do the borrowers differ from the lenders? Give an example from the story to support your opinion. Answer: The human memory is strong in the case of lenders, whereas it diminishes with time in the case of the borrowers. For example, the narrator not only remembers that he had lent a dollar to his friend, Todd, but also the exact date on which he had lent the dollar. But, the borrower, i.e., the narrator s friend, Todd not only forgets of having borrowed a dollar, he does not even get any hint from a number of indirect references made by the narrator about debts. Relying on what is said in the story, does the narrator have any hope of being paid back? Why? Answer: No, the narrator does not seem to have any hope of being paid back the dollar his friend has borrowed. This is because a year has already passed since his friend has borrowed the dollar. He seems to have totally forgotten about it because a number of indirect references given by the narrator about debts does not have any effect in reviving his friend s memory. Where has Todd been away for three weeks? What did he write to the narrator about the place? Answer: Todd was away for three weeks to Hamilton, Bermuda. He wrote to the narrator about the extreme temperature conditions in Bermuda, the temperature reaching nearly 100 F. Why has the narrator gone to receive Todd at the railway station? What does this incident tell us about the character of the narrator? Answer: The narrator went to the railway station to receive Todd because he felt that his friend, Todd might feel happy to see him waiting for him on the station after being away for three weeks. This shows that the narrator values friendship and does things that make his friend happy. (iii) What kind of friendship was there between Todd and the narrator? (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) Answer: Todd and the narrator were close friends. They liked each other s company and therefore, met practically every day at the club and remained in touch with each other. There existed trust and mutual understanding between the two. The small issues of one dollar did not affect their friendship in anyway. Which club is referred to here? Why does the narrator suggest that they take a taxi? Answer: The University Club of Montreal, where Todd and the narrator used to meet practically every day is referred to. The narrator suggested that they should take a taxi because that might remind his friend of the dollar he had borrowed from him a year ago for paying his taxi fare. What do the two talk about at the club? What is going on in the narrator s mind during the conversation? Answer: The narrator and his friend, Todd talked about the latter s trip to Bermuda. Then, they talked about the currency used in Bermuda and whether it is at par with the American Dollar. During the conversation, the thought of the dollar borrowed by Todd was at the back of the narrator s mind. Which trip is being referred to here? How long did it last? What did Todd say about the trip? Answer: Major Todd s trip to Bermuda is being referred to in the extract. It lasted for three weeks. Todd said that he had practically forgotten everything about his trip. What does the extract tell us about Todd s character? Answer: The extract tells us that Todd is a forgetful and careless man for he forgets the dollar he had borrowed from his friend as well as practically everything about his trip to Bermuda, just after returning from the trip. Give the meaning of: (a) bear Todd no grudge: (b) demeanor: Answer: (a) It means that the narrator does not have any negative feelings for his friend, Todd despite Todd having forgotten to pay back the dollar he had borrowed from the him a year ago. (b) It means behavior or attitude. The narrator says that no change occurs in his behavior with his friend Todd who had borrowed a dollar from him an year ago and has forgotten to pay him back. What does the extract tell us about the narrator s borrowers? What was the narrator s attitude towards them? Answer: The narrator s borrowers have forgotten to pay back the money they had borrowed from him. The narrator s attitude towards his borrowers does not undergo any change on account of their not having paid back the borrowed money. What can you conclude from the above extract about the practice of lending and borrowing? Answer: The practice of lending and borrowing referred to in the extract points to the painful fact that the lenders remember the money they have lent, whereas the borrowers forget about it. Whom does they refer to in the first sentence of the extract? What is meant by: on this side of the grave ? Answer: In the first sentence of the extract, them refers to the people to whom the narrator owes some money and has forgotten to pay back. By the phrase on this side of the grave the narrator wants to say that while he is alive, he may not pay back the money he has borrowed from some people. What does the narrator s writing down names in the alphabetical order suggest about him? (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) Answer: The narrator s act of writing down names in the alphabetic order suggests that he is serious about repaying the money he has borrowed. That is why, he even asks his creditors to speak out and tell him if he owes them any money. Who are the people whom the narrator does not feel it necessary to pay back? Why? Answer: The narrator feels that it is not necessary to pay back the money lent over a bridge table or for drinking soda water. The narrator feels so because these are friendly exchanges among friends. What movement does the narrator want to start? What does this plan of his, reveal about his character? Answer: The narrator wants to start a Back to Honesty Movement, which calls for repayment of all the money borrowed in times of need. This plan of the narrator reveals that he is meek and eccentric for instead of asking his friend straightaway to pay back the borrowed dollar, he thinks of starting such a high-sounding project. State briefly how far the title of the story is appropriate. Answer: The title of the story My Lost Dollar is quite appropriate because: (a) the entire story revolves around a particular dollar that the narrator had lent to his friend, Todd. Todd has completely forgotten to pay back and the narrator considers it as lost forever. (b) the observations that the narrator makes in the story like he himself must have borrowed money from some people and would have forgotten to pay back and difference in memory between the lenders and the borrowers and starting a Back to Honesty Movement, are a reflection on the practice of lending and borrowing based on the one dollar that he had lent to his friend, Todd. God Lives in the Punch Give examples from the story to show that Alagu and Jumman were fast friends. Answer: Alagu and Jumman were close childhood friends. They used to till their land in common, were partners in money lending business and used to take care of each other s household, in case of either s absence. What was the secret of their mutual trust and confidence? Answer: The secret of their mutual trust and confidence was their mutual outlook and a community of ideas. What kind of a teacher was Jumman s father? What result did his precepts produce on his son? Answer: Jumman s father was a strict disciplinarian, who believed in the precept, Don t spare the rod, or you ll spoil him. As a result of his precept, his son grew up to be a fine scholar, who was unequal in the entire village for drafting petitions or drawing up a deed. How were Alagu s father s views different from those of Jumman s father? What effect did it have on Alagu s education? Answer: Alagu s father believed that a teacher s blessings are necessary for transforming a student into a fine scholar and that his blessings can be attained by keeping his hookah fresh and feeding his chillum regularly. Alagu continued with his father s advice and spent his time serving his teacher by keeping his hookah fresh and feeding his chillum. Consequently, Alagu failed to acquire much education. Why were Alagu and Jumman respected in the village? Answer: Alagu was respected in the village for his wealth, whereas Jumman was respected for his learning. Who were the old lady and her nephew? What was the understanding between the two? Answer: The old lady was Jumman s maternal aunt and Jumman was her nephew. There was an agreement between the two that the old lady would transfer her property to him on the condition she would be looked after by Jumman and his wife. (ii) What type of treatment was given to the old lady before the deed was registered? How (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) did things change after the deed was registered? Answer: Before the deed was signed, the old lady s every wish used to be fulfilled without askance. Jumman was obliging towards her and considerate of all her needs. After the deed was registered, Jumman became indifferent towards her and used to illtreat her. Name the nephew s wife. What was her attitude towards the old lady? Answer: The nephew s wife s name was Kariman. She ill-treated the old lady and continuously nagged and insulted her. She never served the old lady her meals without uttering remarks full of bitterness and insult. How did the old lady react to the changed situation? What did she ultimately demand of her nephew? Answer: The old lady patiently bore all the insults and daily humiliation as long as she could. But ultimately she demanded that she should be given a small allowance so that she could set up a separate kitchen for herself. What was the nephew s reaction to her demands? Answer: Her nephew reacted indifferently to her demands and said that the money did not grow on trees and taunted her that she had not conquered death. What did the old lady threaten her nephew with? Did it affect him in any way? Why? Answer: The old lady threatened her nephew that if he would not fulfill her demands, she would take her case before the panchayat. No, the old lady s threat did not affect him in anyway. This was because all the members of the panchayat were his friends, whom he had obliged at one time or the other. He was sure that they would not go against him. Who was the old woman? Why did she go about from villager to villager? Answer: The old woman was Jumman s maternal aunt, who used to live with Jumman and his family. She went from villager to villager to narrate her tale of woe, comprising humiliation and insults hurled on her by Jumman and his wife. Which incident is being referred to here? Answer: The incident of Jumman s aunt threatening Jumman of taking her case to the panchayat, if her demands were not fulfilled and Jumman s indifferent attitude to the threat is referred to here. What was the villagers attitude towards the old woman? Answer: Most of the villagers offered their verbal sympathy to her. Some of them cursed the hard times which had brought the old woman to such a miserable state, whereas others advised her to patch up with her nephew. Whom did the old woman approach at last? What did she request of him? Answer: At last, the old woman approached Jumman s friend, Alagu. She requested him to attend the panchayat, when her case comes up in the panchayat. How did the person respond to the lady s request? Answer: Alagu agreed to attend the panchayat as per the old lady s request but asked her to excuse him from being part of the proceedings in the panchayat. Who is the speaker in these lines? How was the speaker related to Jumman? Answer: The old lady, who has called the panchayat to take up her case against her nephew, is the speaker in these lines. The speaker is Jumman s maternal aunt. What kind of abuse and insults was the speaker subjected to? Answer: The speaker was constantly nagged and insulted by Jumman and his wife. She was not served any meal without abuses being hurled on her. She was denied the basic necessities of life like food and clothes. What did the speaker demand from the members of the panchayat? Answer: The speaker demanded that justice should be done to her. If she was in the wrong, she should be punished, but if her nephew, Jumman was wrong, he should be corrected. (iv) When and where was the panchayat held? What arrangements did Jumman make for it? Answer: The panchayat was held in the evening under the village tree. Jumman made all the arrangements for the panchayat such as getting the carpet laid and providing a good supply of pan, elaichi and hookahs to those present in the panchayat. (v) Describe the panchayat scene in your own words. Answer: The panchayat held under a tree after the sun set, presented a strange sight. In one corner of the panchayat, live charcoal was kept glowing to feed the chillums of the guests. In another corner, the village children were shouting, crying and quarrelling with each other. Yet in another corner, the village dogs had assembled in full force, thinking it was a day of feasting. There was excitement and disorder all around. (i) How did Alagu Chowdhari become the head-panch? Who nominated him and why? Answer: Alagu Chowdhari became the head-panch when he was nominated by Jumman s aunt, as the panchayat system stipulated the nomination of a head-panch, acceptable to both the parties. Jumman s aunt nominated him because she was sure that Alagu will not kill his conscience for the sake of his friendship with Jumman. (ii) What was Jumman s reaction at Alagu s nomination as the head-panch? Why? Answer: Jumman was delighted at Alagu s nomination as the head-panch because he knew that Alagu, being his intimate friend, would not go against him. (iii) Why didn t Jumman himself propose anybody s name as nominee for the head-panch? Answer: Jumman did not propose anybody s name as nominee for the head-panch because majority of the people, who attended the panchayat did not have a favorable opinion of Jumman. (iv) What did Alagu say to the old woman after his nomination? What did she reply? Answer: Alagu told the old lady about his friendship with Jumman and indirectly reminded her of the repercussions of appointing him as the head-panch. The old lady replied that she was well aware of Alagu s friendship with Jumman and she also knew that Alagu won t kill his conscience for the sake of his friendship with Jumman. (v) Describe how Alagu carried on with his proceedings as the head-panch? Answer: As the head-panch, Alagu began the proceedings by addressing Jumman and telling him that although they had earlier helped each other in times of difficulty, but now since he was the panch, both Jumman and his aunt, were equal in his eyes. (vi) What was Jumman s first reaction to Alagu s proceedings? What did he say in his defense? Answer: Jumman s first reaction to Alagu s proceedings was that Alagu was only pretending to be fair and just. In his defense, Jumman said that he had been carrying all his obligations towards his aunt like a son would be doing for his mother. He accepted the fact that there had been occasional quarrels between his aunt and his wife. However, he could not afford to pay a monthly allowance to his aunt. (i) Whom does he refer to in the extract? How did he gain knowledge of law? Answer: He in the extract refers to Alagu. He gained knowledge of law by visiting the courts often in connection with his business and by observing the legal proceedings there. (ii) Who was Ramadhan Misra? Why was he in exultation? Answer: Ramadhan Misra was the resident of another village. He bore a grudge against Jumman for the latter had settled some of Ramadhan s tenants in his own village. He was excited to see Alagu defeating Jumman in his cross-examination. (iii) What was Jumman wondering about? Why? Answer: Jumman was wondering how his friend, Alagu, who was talking to him cordially a moment ago, was now trying to bring before the panchayat his faults. He (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii) found it difficult to understand for which old grievance, Alagu was trying to take revenge on him. He was wondering like that because Alagu was his close friend and he had thought that he would favour him, rather than his aunt. What was the verdict of the panchayat? What effect did it have on Jumman? Answer: The panchayat s verdict was that Jumman had to pay a monthly allowance to his aunt. In case of non-compliance with the panchayat s verdict, the deed transferring her aunt s property to him will be declared null and void. Jumman was stunned to hear the verdict. He could not understand how his friend, Alagu, whom he trusted so much had suddenly turned into an enemy by pronouncing a verdict against him. How did the villagers react to the panchayat verdict? Answer: The villagers were full of praise for Alagu for his sense of fairness and justice. They said that Alagu had separated truth from falsehood as a swan separates milk from water. What was the result of the panchayat verdict on Jumman s relationship with his close friend? Answer: The verdict spoiled the relationship that existed between Jumman and Alagu. The two friends avoided seeing each other, and if they happened to meet by chance, they behaved like enemies. Jumman kept on thinking about how to take revenge on Alagu and waited with baited breath for such an opportunity to come his way. When and from where did Alagu purchase the pair of bullocks? Describe the pair. Answer: Alagu purchased the pair of bullocks a year ago from the Bateshwar fair. The bullocks had beautiful long curved horns and were of western breed. They were so attractive that they remained the envy and the rage of the whole village for months together. How did the death of one of the bullocks affect the relationship between Alagu and Jumman? Answer: The death of one of the bullocks further strained the already strained relationship between Alagu and Jumman. Jumman connected the death of the bullock as God s punishment on Alagu for his treacherous conduct of giving the verdict against him. Alagu, on the other hand, accused Jumman of poisoning his bullock. Whom did Alagu sell the other bullock to? At what price was the bullock sold, and what was the understanding concerning the sale? Answer: Alagu sold the other bullock to Samjhu Sahu, a cart driver. The bullock was sold at one-hundred and fifty rupees. It was agreed that Samjhu Sahu, the buyer would pay the price in a month s time. How was the bullock s life at his new master s different from his life at Alagu s? What effect did it have on the animal s health? Answer: The bullock led a miserable life at his new master, Samjhu Sahu s place. He was overworked and forced to undertake three trips to the town without any rest and full feed. Consequently, the bullock was reduced to a skeleton and could hardly drag the cart. Who nominated Jumman as the head-panch? Why? Answer: Samjhu Sahu nominated Jumman as the head-panch. He did so because he was aware of the hostility between Alagu and Jumman and thought Jumman would not favour Alagu and so the verdict would go in his favour. What was Alagu s reaction at Jumman s nomination as the head-panch? Why did he feel so? Answer: On hearing Jumman s name as the head-panch, Alagu s heart began to sink, his face turned pale and looked as if he had received a sudden blow. He felt so (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) because he was aware that Jumman had been waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on him. How were Jumman s personal feelings involved in the Alagu-Sahu case? Answer: As Jumman became the head-panch in the Alagu-Sahu case, he realised the gravity of his office. He knew that since he was sitting on the throne of justice, he should not utter anything but truth. He was conscious of the fact that as a judge, his words carry the same respect as the words of God. He realized that he must not allow his personal feelings of hostility towards Alagu to interfere with his duty of dispensing justice. What was the issue on which the members of the panchayat differed in the case? Answer: The members of the panchayat differed on the issue of whether Alagu should be paid the full price of the bullock, or whether there should be any reduction in the price, taking into consideration the loss suffered by Sahu. What verdict did Jumman pronounce? Answer: Jumman pronounced the verdict that Samjhu had to pay the full amount for the ox he bought from Alagu, because when he bought the cattle, it was in good health and the ox died of slow starvation and overwork. Had Samjhu paid the amount at the time of purchase, the present situation would not have arisen. Was Jumman s verdict fair? What effect did it have on his relationship with Alagu? Answer: Yes, Jumman s verdict was absolutely fair as it was Samjhu Sahu s greed to earn more profit that made him overwork his ox, without giving the animal rest and proper food. The verdict once again brought the two friends close to each other. Alagu was overwhelmed at Jumman s fairness in dispensing justice. He broke down and wept on Jumman s shoulders. They embraced each other and renewed their friendship. The Last Leaf Who is the first speaker in the extract? What kind of a man is he? Answer: The first speaker in the extract is the doctor, who has come to examine Johnsy. He is an optimistic person, who strongly believes in the power of positive thinking. Who is the little lady referred to in the extract? What is she suffering from? Answer: The little lady is a reference for Johnsy. She is suffering from pneumonia. What chances does this little lady have of recovering? Why? Answer: The little lady has only one in ten chances of recovery. This is because she has lost her will to live and therefore, even the medicines fail to have any positive effect on her. What does Sue replay to the first speaker s last question in the extract? What does this tell us about her attitude towards men? Answer: To the first speaker s last question in the extract, Sue replied that a man is not worth thinking and Johnsy does not have a man on her mind. Johnsy does not consider men worth giving attention. This shows that she does not have a positive attitude towards men. What does the little lady actually have on her mind? Answer: The little lady actually has all the negative thoughts regarding her death on her mind. She believes that when the last ivy leaf falls from the vine, her life too will come to an end. What does the first speaker assure Sue before he leaves? Answer: The first speaker, i.e., the doctor assured Sue that if she would be able to make Johnsy ask one question about the latest winter styles in cloak sleeves, he would promise one-in-five chances for Johnsy s survival, instead of one in ten. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) Who are Johnsy and Sue? When and where did the two first meet? Answer: Johnsy and Sue are two young artists, who share an apartment. They first met six months ago at a group table in Delmonico s, a restaurant in New York City. What made the two girls start a joint studio? Answer: The two girls common tastes and interests in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves made them start a joint studio. What was Johnsy looking at outside the window? What was she counting? Answer: Johnsy was looking outside the window to watch the leaves falling from an ivy vine on the wall of the opposite brick house. She was counting the number of the leaves falling from the ivy vine. What had Sue been doing a little before? Answer: She was sketching a pair of elegant horseshow riding trousers and a monocle of the figure of the hero, an Idaho cowboy. What strange fancy had Johnsy taken? Answer: Johnsy had taken strange fancy to the falling ivy leaves from the vine. She believed that with the fall of the last ivy leaf from the vine, her life too would come to an end. What does Sue tell Johnsy about the doctor s opinion regarding the chances of her recovery? Why does she lie? Answer: She told Johnsy that her chances of recovery were ten to one. She told a lie to Johnsy to keep up her sagging spirits and revive a hope of survival in Johnsy. Who is the first speaker here? What is she waiting for? Answer: The first speaker here is Johnsy . She is waiting for the last leaf to fall from the vine and also her impending death. What does the first speaker tell Sue to do a little while before? Answer: Johnsy told Sue to tell her when the last leaf from ivy vine would fall because she wanted to see the last leaf fall. Who is Behrman? Describe his physical appearance. Answer: Behrman is a painter by profession, who lives in the apartment beneath Sue and Johnsy. Behrman is an old man past sixty. He has a beard that looks like the beard of Moses, a sculpture by Michael Angelo. His beard curls down from his head and makes him look like a mythological creature having a man s face and body of a little man that has magic powers but behaves badly. Was Behrman considered a professional success? Why? Answer: No, Behrman was not considered a professional success because in the last forty years of his career, he has not painted anything extraordinary. How did Behrman earn his living? What do you think helped him in doing it? Answer: Behrman used to earn his living by serving as a model to those young artists, who could not afford a professional for the purpose. What was Behrman s attitude towards Sue and Johnsy? Answer: Behrman s attitude towards Sue and Johnsy was fraternal affection, for he was a striving artist like the two girls. Further, he had a fatherly affection for them for he considered himself as especial mastiff-in-waiting to protect the two girls. What was Mr. Behrman s first reaction when he heard about Johnsy s strange fancy? Answer: When Behrman came to know about Johnsy s strange fancy concerning the last leaf, he became quite angry and expressed his contempt and derision for such an idiotic imagination. Why does Behrman refuse to pose as a model for Sue in the beginning? Answer: Behrman refused to pose as a model for Sue in the beginning because he was angry with Sue for allowing Johnsy to harbour such a strange fancy concerning the last leaf and her own death. (iii) What strange fancies has the fever filled Johnsy s mind with? (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Answer: The strange fancy which has filled Johnsy s mind was that she would die the very moment the last ivy leaf on the vine would fall. Does Mr. Behrman pose for Sue? What does this tell us about him? Answer: Yes, Behrman after refusing initially, finally agreed to pose as a model for Sue. He did so because he had a fatherly affection for Sue and Johnsy and was concerned for their well-being. This shows that Behrman was a noble soul, whose heart was full of gentle feelings. Give the meaning of: (a) morbid: Ans: Gruesome. (b) flibbertigibbet: Ans: A frivolous and silly person. What does It refer to in the extract? What role does It play in the story? Answer: It refers to the last leaf on the ivy vine. It plays an important role in the story with regard to Johnsy s strange fancy that with the falling of the last leaf from the vine, she would die. Why was Johnsy so sure that it would fall during the night? Answer: Johnsy was sure that it , i.e., the last leaf would fall during the night because she had been continuously sitting near her window and watching the leaves fall from the vine. Hearing the wind, she was sure that even the last leaf would fall at night. What does Johnsy s thinking tell us about her attitude towards life? Answer: Johnsy s strange thinking regarding the falling of the leaves of the ivy vine and her own life suggests that Johnsy had a pessimistic view of life and harboured negative thoughts. What do you think of Sue s relationship with Johnsy from her dialogue? Answer: Sue s dialogue in the extract tells us that she has developed a strong bond of friendship with Johnsy and is much concerned about Johnsy s welfare. She is hinting that she may not be able to bear the loss of losing Johnsy. What was Johnsy s response to Sue s last question in the extract? Answer: Johnsy did not answer Sue s last question in the extract. What did Sue do to keep up Johnsy s thinking and change her attitude towards life? Answer: Sue tried to change Johnsy s pessimistic attitude towards life by diverting Johnsy s mind from the last leaf and sickness by making her take interest in things around her. She talked to her about clothes and fashion. She tried to keep up Johnsy s sagging spirits by bringing her drawing board in Johnsy s room and whistling while painting. Who is the speaker here? Whom is she speaking to? Answer: Sue is the speaker here. She is speaking to Johnsy. Why do you think the speaker addresses the listener as white mouse ? Answer: The speaker, i.e., Sue addressed the listener, i.e., Johnsy as white mouse because Johnsy had recovered from her illness and regained her health. Who is Mr. Behrman? How does the speaker get to know about his death? Answer: Mr. Behrman was an old artist, who used to live in the apartment beneath Sue and Johnsy. The speaker got the news of Behrman s death from the doctor, who had come to examine Johnsy. Where had Mr. Behrman been on such a dreadful night ? Answer: Mr. Behrman was out in the heavy rain at night, with a ladder, across the brick wall where the ivy vine went in order to paint an ivy leaf on the wall. What were the other things found on the morning of the first day of Mr. Behrman s illness? (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) Answer: The things found on the morning of the first day of Mr. Behrman s illness included a lighted lantern, a ladder, some scattered brushes and a palette with green and yellow colours mixed on it. How does Mr. Behrman s sacrifice help in saving Johnsy s life? Answer: Mr. Behrman risked his life by going out in the pouring rain and painting the last ivy leaf on the wall, after the original leaf has fallen. On seeing that the last leaf, with the falling of which she had associated her death, Johnsy got the hope and the will to live and was finally cured of her illness. But in the process of saving Johnsy s life, old Behrman got drenched in the rain, caught pneumonia and died. Thus, Behrman sacrificed his own life to save Johnsy s life. The Kabuliwala With reference to the extract, name the father and the daughter. From the daughter s questions, what can you conclude about her character? Answer: The father in the extract is the narrator and the daughter is the narrator s daughter, Mini. It can be concluded from the daughter s questions that she is a talkative girl, always bursting with questions. In the story, there are two fathers. Compare them as far as their professions are concerned. Answer: The two fathers in the story are the narrator and Rahamat, the Kabuliwala. The narrator is an author by profession, whereas Rahamat is a peddler, who brings seasonal goods from his country, Afghanistan and sells them in India. Which is one of the most important traits of the daughter s character? How does her father react to it? Answer: The most important traits of the daughter s character are that she is talkative and always questioning. Her father says that her daughter has not wasted a single moment of her life remaining silent. What was the father doing when the daughter entered his room? How does the father show that he is patient with his daughter? Answer: The father had started writing the seventeenth chapter of his novel, the moment his daughter, Mini, entered the room. The father shows that he is patient with his daughter by listening to her volley of questions without saying anything and later joining her prattle and having a lively talk with her. What is the main theme of the story, The Kabuliwala? Answer: The main theme of the story, The Kabuliwala is human relationships that exist on different levels the relationship between a father and his daughter, represented by the narrator and his daughter, Mini; the relationship between the Kabuliwala and Mini, a representation of the Kabuliwala s relationship with his own daughter, who is far away from him; and Mini s relationship with her mother, who is quite protective of her daughter. Who is the speaker here? Why is he startled to see Mini laughing and talking with the great Kabuliwala? Answer: The narrator is the speaker here. He was startled to see Mini laughing and talking with the Kabuliwala because initially she was scared of the Kabuliwala. She had the unknown fear that the Kabuliwala carried several living children like herself in his bag. Who is the Kabuliwala? Describe his appearance. Answer: The Kabuliwala was a peddler, who used to bring dry fruits and other goods from his country, Afghanistan and sell them in India. Kabuliwala was a tall, shabbily dressed Afghan, who used to wear a turban on his head and carry a bag over his shoulder and a few boxes of dry grapes in his hand. Describe the first meeting between Mini and the Kabuliwala. Answer: The first meeting between Mini and the Kabuliwala happened when she (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) called him to her house. But when the Kabuliwala came, she got frightened and ran inside. She came only when her father called her out. She stood nervously, pressing her father s body and looking suspiciously at the Kabuliwala and his bag. When the Kabuliwala offered her some raisins and apricots from his bag, she refused to take them and clung closer to her father with a redoubled suspicion. How does Mini overcome her fear of the Kabuliwala? Answer: Mini overcame her fear of Kabuliwala when her father called her from inside the house to meet the Kabuliwala. Mini s fear of Kabuliwala carrying several children like her in his bag subsided, when the Kabuliwala took out some dry fruits from his bag and offered them to her. How much does the narrator pay to the Kabuliwala for the almonds and raisins given to Mini as gifts? What does the Kabuliwala do with the money? Answer: The narrator paid half-a-rupee coin to the Kabuliwala for the almonds and raisins he gave to Mini as gifts. The Kabuliwala gave the money to Mini. How does this money cause trouble for the girl? Who saves her from the emerging situation? Answer: When Kabuliwala gave the money paid by Mini s father to Mini, Mini s mother got annoyed that her daughter had accepted the money from a stranger. Mini s father rescued Mini from her mother s wrath by taking her out for a walk. What fear is referred to in the extract? Answer: Mini s mother s fear that the world was full of thieves, bandits, drunkards, malaria and cockroaches, waiting for an opportunity to harm her family, is referred to in the extract. Why is the lady not able to overcome the fear? Answer: The lady is not able to overcome the fear because she has been hearing about instances of child abduction, theft and robbery and is too concerned about the welfare of her family. Why is she full of suspicion about the Kabuliwala? Answer: She is full of suspicion about the Kabuliwala because she has heard tales of child abduction and robbery prevalent in Afghanistan, the country to which the Kabuliwala belonged. Since, the Kabuliwala was a huge and tall man, she feared that he could kidnap her daughter, Mini. What is her reaction to her daughter s accepting things from the Kabuliwala? Answer: She was annoyed at her daughter s act of accepting things from a stranger, i.e., the Kabuliwala. She had the fear that the Kabuliwala was trying to befriend her daughter by giving her gifts, with the intention of kidnapping her. What are the pointed questions that the lady asks the narrator? Answer: The pointed questions that the lady asked the narrator included were there no instances of child abduction, was not slave trade in practice in Afghanistan and was it impossible for a giant like Kabuliwala to kidnap a little child. What is the narrator s response to her doubts? Does he succeed in allaying her fear? Answer: The narrator had to agree to the doubts of his wife because her doubts were not impossible. No, he did not succeed in allaying her wife s fear. Who is the dishonest man? Why is Rahamat hurling abuses at him? Answer: The dishonest man was the narrator s neighbour, who had bought a Rampuri shawl from the Kabuliwala on credit. Rahamat was hurling abuses at him because when he asked for his payment for the shawl, the man denied having bought the shawl. What is the usual exchange referred to in the extract? Answer: The usual exchange refers to Mini s questioning Kabuliwala about the contents in his bag. (iii) What does the Kabuliwala reply to Mini s question? (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) Answer: When Mini asked Kabuliwala if he was going to his in-laws house, he replied that he was going there only. What crime is the Kabuliwala charged with? How is he punished for the wrong done? Answer: The Kabuliwala was charged with murderous assault. He was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment for his crime. What time of year is it? Describe the weather. Answer: It was the end of the winter season. The weather was freezing cold and almost unbearable, especially in the morning hours, with little warmth after sunrise. Whose house is being referred to here? What is the reason for the noise and bustle pervading it? Answer: The narrator s house is being referred to in the extract. The noise and bustle pervading the house is because of the narrator s daughter s wedding. Describe briefly the scene at the house. Answer: There was lot of hustle and bustle in the house because of the narrator s daughter s wedding. The visitors were continuously walking in and out. A tent was being put up in the courtyard of the house and the ringing of the chandeliers being put in the verandah filled the air. The wedding music was being played in the house since dawn and there was festivity in the house and no end to the noise. Describe Rahmat s physical features at this point of time. Answer: Rahamat s physical features had changed in the eight years he had been in prison. He no longer had his long hair or his old vigour. The usual bag he carried on his shoulder was also missing. Why couldn t the narrator recognize him first? How did he recognize him a little later? Answer: The narrator could not recognize him first because his looks had changed from what it used to be eight years ago. He did not have his long hair, his old vigour and the bag on his shoulder. The narrator recognized him from his smile. Where has Rahamat come from? How did the narrator treat him? State why the narrator does not like his visit to the house. Answer: Rahamat had come from jail after being released from there. The narrator was little annoyed with the Kabuliwala and asked him to come some other day. He did not like his visit to the house because it was the auspicious day of his daughter s wedding. What was Rahamat s reaction to the treatment given to him in the narrator s house? Answer: Rahamat was little hurt by the indifferent attitude of the narrator and was stunned on hearing that he would not be able to meet Mini, as she was getting married that day. What is referred to as the memorabilia of his daughter ? Why does the Kabuliwala carry it with himself? Answer: The impression of the hand of Kabuliwala s daughter on a piece of paper, created with burnt charcoal was the memorabilia of his daughter . Kabuliwala carried it with himself as a mark of love and remembrance from his daughter, which provided comfort and happiness to his lonely heart. What are some of the merchandise that the Kabuliwala sells in the streets of Kolkata? Answer: The merchandise that the Kabuliwala sold on the streets of Kolkata included dry fruits like almonds, raisins and apricots and woolen clothes like shawls. What has the Kabuliwala requested of the speaker? Does the speaker accept his request? Give a reason for your opinion? Answer: The Kabuliwala requested the speaker to hand over the grapes and raisins, which he has brought for Mini, to her. The speaker accepted the Kabuliwala s request because he realised a father s longing for his daughter and that the Kabuliwala saw a reflection of his own daughter in Mini. (iv) Why is the Kabuliwala shocked when Mini finally appears before him? Answer: The Kabuliwala was shocked when Mini finally appeared before him because his little chirping, five-year-old Mini has grown up into young, beautiful girl and was dressed up like a bride. (v) What realization dawns upon the Kabuliwala when he sees Mini? Answer: On seeing Mini, it dawned on the Kabuliwala that his own little daughter at home, away in Afghanistan, must have grown up like Mini. She would not be the same girl, whom he had left behind, eight years ago and would have to know her all over again. (vi) Explain how the narrator helps the Kabuliwala. Answer: The narrator helped the Kabuliwala by cutting down on the wedding expenses of his daughter and giving him the money so that he could go back to his own country and meet his daughter. (vii) What was common to the Kabuliwala and the narrator? Answer: Both the narrator and the Kabuliwala are doting fathers to their daughters. Both of them, also suffer the pangs of separation from their daughters : the Kabuliwala got separated from his daughter when he was imprisoned eight years ago, whereas the narrator was about to be separated from his daughter because of her getting married. The Bet (i) Who hosted the party? What type of people attended the party? What does the extract given above tell us about the mood of the host? Answer: The old banker hosted the party. The people who attended the party included journalists, intellectuals, a lawyer and a banker. The host was in a depressing and reminiscent mood. (ii) What was the topic of discussion at the party? What alternative was suggested for the topic being discussed? Answer: Capital punishment was the topic of discussion at the party. Life imprisonment was the alternative suggested in place of capital punishment. (iii) What was the opinion of the majority of guests present at the party on the topic being discussed? Answer: The majority of guests at the party were against giving death penalty as they considered it out of date, immoral and unsuitable for Christian states. (iv) What was the host s view on capital punishment? How did he justify his point of view? Answer: The host s view was that capital punishment was more moral than life imprisonment. He justified his view by stating that capital punishment kills a man at once, whereas life imprisonment kills a man slowly. (v) What were the young lawyer s views on the topic? What are your views on capital punishment? Give two reasons to justify your point of view. Answer: According to the young lawyer, both capital punishment and life sentence were immoral. But given a choice, he would go for life imprisonment because to live is better than not living at all. I am in/not in favour of capital punishment: For: (a) Capital punishment achieves nothing but revenge. (b) A criminal is a mentally sick person who must be cured of his ailment rather than be destroyed completely. (c) Capital punishment does not reform the criminal but just eliminates him. (d) Capital punishment does not act as a deterrent against crime. The claim that capital punishment reduces violent crime is inconclusive and certainly not proven. Against: (a) All humans have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When someone willfully commits crimes against his fellow humans, he should be given capital punishment. (b) Lesser sentence or life imprisonment will remove the fear and deterrence instilled by capital punishment. (c) When the criminals will be out, they will be free to resume their nefarious activities and even take revenge against the law enforcing agencies or the relatives of the victims. (i) State in one sentence what the bet was. Why was it described as wild and senseless? Answer: The bet stipulated that if the lawyer would remain in solitary confinement for a period of fifteen years, the banker would pay him two million rubles. It was wild and senseless because by accepting it, the lawyer would lose his freedom and the best years of his life in confinement, just for the sake of getting two million rubles. (ii) The banker was delighted at the bet. What does it tell about the character of the banker? Answer: It tells us that the banker was a mean and heartless fellow, who sought to ruin the youth and the life of the lawyer by setting inhuman and unreasonable conditions for the bet. (iii) Why did the lawyer accept the bet? What trait of the lawyer is revealed from his accepting the bet? Answer: The lawyer accepted the bet as a challenge and for the sake of getting two million rubles. The lawyer s act of accepting such a bet shows him to be a daring but greedy fellow. (iv) How did the banker warn the lawyer at supper? Why did he feel sorry for the lawyer? Answer: The banker warned the lawyer to think again about it because by undertaking such a bet, he would lose the best years of his life in prison. He also told him that voluntary confinement is much harder than being in compulsory confinement. He felt sorry for the lawyer because the latter would ruin his life by undertaking the bet. (v) What question did the banker ask himself after warning the lawyer at supper? Ultimately what was his motive in risking so much money on a bet? Answer: The banker questioned himself about the object of the bet, the good involved in lawyers losing fifteen years of his life and his throwing away two million rubles and whether the bet can prove that the death penalty is better or worse than life imprisonment. The banker s desire to prove his point that capital punishment is better than life imprisonment prompted him to risk two million rubles on a bet. (vi) What were the views of the banker and the lawyer about the bet after 15 years? Answer: The banker cursed the bet he undertook fifteen years ago because his fortune had declined and he was himself in debt. By paying the lawyer, two million rubles, he would be ruined. The lawyer, on the other hand, decided to forfeit the bet he had undertaken fifteen years ago, to prove the futility and fleeting nature of worldly possessions. (vii) What are your views on the bet? Whom of the two the banker or the lawyer staked more on the bet? Answer: The bet between the lawyer and the banker was unreasonable and inhuman because it put at stake the freedom and youth of a man for fifteen long years, just to prove which of the two options capital punishment or life imprisonment is better. The lawyer staked more because he staked his freedom and his youth by being in confinement for fifteen years, whereas the banker staked only money, which can be recovered, unlike youth and time lost, which can never be regained. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) What was the prisoner s attitude to music in the second year? Why? Answer: In the second year of his confinement, the prisoner did not play any music and no piano was heard. This was because he wanted to study only the classics. What difference in the reading habits of the prisoner occurred in the second and in the fifth year of his confinement? Answer: In the second year the prisoner asked for classics to read, whereas in the fifth year of his confinement, he altogether gave up reading books. The prisoner asked for wine in the fifth year. what was his attitude to wine in the first year? Why? Answer: In the first year of his confinement, the prisoner refused to take wine because he believed that wine excites the desires and desires are the worst enemy of a prisoner. Besides, he felt that nothing could be gloomier than drinking wine and not being able to meet anyone. What were the activities in which the prisoner indulged himself in the fifth year? Answer: In the fifth year of his confinement, the prisoner indulged in music, eating, drinking, lying on his bed, frequently yawning, angrily talking to himself and writing at night and tearing up in the morning, all that he had written. What would the prisoner do with his writings in the morning? Why? Answer: The prisoner used to tear up all that he had written at night, in the morning. He did so to spend time and avoid the bouts of depression. Besides, he was not interested in anything. The prisoner was heard crying in the fifth year. what does it tell us about his mental state? Answer: The prisoner s act of crying tells us that he was in a state of depression, restlessness and frustration. To whom does the first them in the first line of the extract refer to? What does the prisoner want them to read? Answer: The first them in the first line of the extract refers to the people who knew six languages in which the prisoner had written a letter to the banker. The prisoner wanted them to read the letter he had written to the banker. How does the given extract show that the prisoner developed a great interest in learning languages from the sixth year of his confinement? When the prisoner took interest in different languages, what difficulties did the banker face? Answer: The prisoner took a great interest in learning languages is hinted from the fact that he procured six hundred volumes of books related to languages. The banker had the difficulty in getting the books which the prisoner wanted to become proficient in different languages. Give the meanings of: the same flame burns in them all. Answer: It means that although people belonging to different lands speak different languages, but their feelings and thoughts are the same. Which desire of the prisoner as referred to in the extract was fulfilled? Why did the banker order two shots to be fired in the garden? Answer: The prisoner wanted the banker to fire a shot in the garden if the experts in different languages could not find a single mistake in the letter he had written in six languages. In this way, he would be able to prove himself that all the efforts he made in learning different languages were not a waste. The banker ordered two shots to be fired in the garden to recognize the proficiency the prisoner had acquired in different languages over the years. The prisoner read different types of books in the last two years of his confinement. What does this fact show about the character of the prisoner? Answer: It shows that prisoner was a seeker of knowledge, who wanted to (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (i) (ii) (iii) understand the reality of life through books because in confinement, he could not gain it through life s experiences. What led to the decline off the banker s fortune? How did this change affect the banker s character? Answer: The banker s fortune declined because of wild speculation and gambling on the Stock Exchange. As a result of decline in his fortune, the banker who used to be a proud, fearless, self-confident millionaire, became a banker of middling rank, fearing loss at every rise and fall in his investments. Why did the old man describe the bed as cursed ? What did he do that shows his despair? Answer: The old man described the bet as cursed because by following the conditions laid down in the bet, he would go bankrupt if had to pay two million rubles to the lawyer. The banker clutched his head, cursed the bet and the lawyer for the miserable condition in which he was. Whom did the old man wish to have died? Why? Answer: The old man wished the prisoner to have died. He wished so because, he would be spared the payment of two million rubles to the prisoner, as stipulated in the bet. What would the prisoner do with the money he would take from the old man? Answer: The prisoner would take the money from the banker and use it to get married, enjoy life and gamble on the Stock Exchange. Why did the old man say that he would look at the prisoner with envy? What does this show about the character of the old man? Answer: The old man said that he would look at the prisoner with envy because by paying two million rubles to the prisoner as stipulated in the bet, the old man would be reduced to the state of a pauper, whereas the prisoner would regain his freedom, marry and enjoy life. This shows that the banker was a jealous and selfish man, who could not stand the success of another person. Further, instead of improving himself, he blamed others for his downfall. What solution did the old man devise to save himself from paying money to the prisoner? How does the solution devised by the old man create suspense in the story? Answer: The old man decided to unlock the garden house door, kill the prisoner and throw the blame on the watchman, to save himself from paying money to the prisoner. The banker s resolve to kill the prisoner creates surprise in the story by arousing anxiety among the readers about the outcome of the banker s resolve and its further consequences for both the banker and the prisoner. What was the impact of fifteen years of confinement on the prisoner, as mentioned in the above extract? Why didn t the prisoner respond to the banker s tapping at the window? Answer: Fifteen years of solitary confinement in the prison, made the prisoner calm and at peace within himself so that he could sit still, perhaps in a state of meditation. The prisoner did not respond at all to the banker s tapping at the window because he was fast asleep. What was the banker s state of mind when he broke the seals off the door? Why was he in such a state of mind? Answer: The banker was in a state of despair when he broke the seals off the door. He was in a state of despair because only a day was left for the final accounting of the stipulated fifteen years of the bet and he would have to pay two million rubles to the prisoner. What does the author want to cconvey by using the expressions rusty lock, grating sound and creaking door ? Answer: The author wants to create suspense in the story by using expressions like rusty , lock , grating sound and creaking door . These expressions hint at the passage of fifteen years as well as the miserable condition in which the prisoner might be. (iv) Whose footsteps ddid the banker expect to hear? Why? Answer: The banker expected to hear the footsteps of the prisoner because he thought that the latter would rush towards the door and give a cry of amazement on knowing that somebody had opened the door and he would be freed from the prison. (v) Where did the banker finally make up his mind to go? Why? Answer: The banker finally decided to enter the lodge in his garden, where the lawyer has been in captivity for the last fifteen years. He made up his mind to go inside the lodge to kill the prisoner and put to an end the bet and the issue of paying two million rubles to the prisoner. (vi) What did the banker think that the prisoner would be dreaming of? Answer: The banker thought that the prisoner would be dreaming about the two million rubles, he was likely to get after completing the stipulated time period of fifteen years in prison. (vii) What is your attitude towards the prisoner? Give a reason in support of your answer. Answer: The prisoner is to be pitied for the condition in which he landed himself for his greed for money. He staked his liberty and youth for fifteen years in return for two million rubles. He did realize the worthlessness of the materialistic world and the need for introspection, after fifteen years of being in solitary confinement. However, his efforts to learn and excel in many areas of achievements in the confinement are praiseworthy. (i) Who informed the banker about the disappearance of the prisoner from the lodge? How long did the prisoner stay in confinement? Answer: The watchman of the lodge informed the banker about the disappearance of the prisoner from the lodge. The prisoner stayed for five hours less than fifteen years in confinement. (ii) The prisoner could have won two million roubles but he renounced them. Why? Answer: The prisoner renounced the two million rubles because fifteen years of his confinement in the prison, during which he moved from one enthusiasm to other like music, eating, drinking, sleeping, smoking and reading books made him realise that nothing endures in this world: death destroys everything and everyone. Therefore, this world is empty, illusory and doomed. (iii) What was the effect of the prisoner s note on the banker? Answer: The banker after reading the prisoner s note underwent a transformation of heart. He wept and felt a great contempt for himself. When he reached home and tried to sleep, he could not do so because his tears and emotions kept him awake for hours. (iv) Why did the banker keep the note in the safe? What does it tell about the character of the banker? Answer: The banker kept the note in the safe to avoid the arousal of unnecessary suspicion among the people regarding the bet and the prisoner. This act of the banker suggests that he was a self-protective man, who does not want to land himself in any trouble because of the prisoner s note. (v) What lesson did the prisoner and the banker learn at the end of the story? Answer: At the end of the story, the prisoner realized the worthlessness of the material world and rejected all the pleasures he has experienced and renounced the two million rubles he could have won, as stipulated in the bet. The banker, after seeing the emaciated condition of the prisoner and reading his note, became remorseful for his inhuman bet and felt great contempt for himself. (vi) Do you think The Bet is an appropriate title for the story? Give two reasons to justify (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) your answer. Answer: The Bet is an appropriate title for the story because: (a) the entire story revolves around the bet between two people a banker and a lawyer. The banker staked two million rubles, whereas the lawyer staked his freedom and his youth for fifteen long years in confinement. (b) symbolically, human life itself is a bet, where we stake everything to achieve material possessions, but realise their futility only after losing everything, i.e., life itself. The Tiger in the Tunnel Who is Tembu? Where is he? Why does he wonder if his father was ready to leave the hut? Answer: Tembu is the twelve year old son of Baldeo, a khalasi at a small wayside signal stop. Tembu is lying in a corner of a hut near the station, with his father. He suddenly woke up in the night and wondered if his father, who used to go every night on his night duty at the railway signal, had left for the duty as it was a dark and cold night. Where is Tembu s father working? What is his nightly errand? How does the author describe the night as calm and still? Answer: Tembu s father was working as a watchman at a small wayside railway signal. His nightly errand was to signal whether or not the tunnel was clear of obstruction for the train to pass and to see that the lamp was burning. The author has described the night as calm and still by portraying it as dark, moonless, chilly, having the deathly, stillness of the surrounding jungle which was occasionally broken by the shrill cry of the cicada, the hollow hammering of a woodpecker or the grunt of a wild boar. Give the meaning of: But these sounds were rare, and the silence of the forest always returned to swallow them up. Answer: It means that there was complete silence on a chilly, dark night with the only sounds heard occasionally being that of a cicada, a woodpecker or the grunt of a wild boar. And these occasional sounds were engulfed by the silence of the forest. Why is the station, where Baldeo is working said to be a station in name only? Answer: The station was said to be in name only because it was a small shack where mail trains stopped only for a few seconds before entering the tunnel. Why do most trains slow down near the station where Baldeo is employed? Answer: Most of the trains slowed down near the station because there was a sharp curve before the cutting which led to the tunnel and to wait for the signal to make sure if it was free of all obstructions. What were the duties of Baldeo at the place where he worked? Answer: Baldeo s duties included to check whether the lamp was burning; and using his hand-worked signal to signal whether or not the tunnel was clear of obstruction for the train to pass through. Give a brief description of the surroundings of the station. Answer: The station, a small shack, which served as a wayside signal stop, was three miles away from human habitation. It was surrounded by dense jungle with hills overhanging the main line of the railway. A deep cutting in the forest led to a tunnel through which mail train passed. There was darkness and complete silence in the jungle with the only sounds heard being those of a barking deer, grunting boar, hammering woodpecker and that of dense undergrowth. What was the effect of the night on the station. Answer: The darkness of the night heightened the eeriness of the station with the black tunnel entrance looming up menacingly. (iv) Where did Tembu normally sleep? Answer: Tembu normally used to sleep in his home, in a small tribal village on the outskirts of the forest, about three miles from the station, where his father worked as a night watchman. (v) What was the financial condition of Baldeo? Why did he consider himself lucky to have got the job of a Khalasi at the signal post? Answer: Baldeo s financial condition was quite poor as his income from the small rice fields was not enough to provide for his family. He considered himself lucky to get the job of a khalasi at the signal stop because that supplemented his meager income from his land in the village. (i) What did Baldeo do before leaving for duty? Answer: Before leaving for duty, Baldeo lit his lamp and closed the door of his hut, where his son lay fast asleep. (ii) What was he thinking on the way? How was the path that led to his working place? If he had his way, what would he have wished? Answer: Baldeo thought whether the lamp on the signal post would still be alighted. The path leading to his work place, i.e., the station, was marked by dense jungle and hills which overhung the main line of the railway. If he had his way, Baldeo would go back to his hut and feel the warm comfort there instead of working out in a chilling, dark night. (iii) What reminded Baldeo of the wild animals he might encounter on the way? What had he heard earlier about the tunnel tiger? What is said about the other animals? Answer: The rock walls towering high above the rails reminded Baldeo of the wild animals that he might encounter on the way. He had heard that the tiger frequented the tunnel and was a man-eater. The other animals mentioned included panthers, which Baldeo had never seen but had occasionally heard their sawing when they called their mates. (iv) Describe the axe which Baldeo carried. How was he sentimentally attached to it? Answer: Baldeo had a small axe, whose head was made of pure steel, was thin but ringing time like a bell. Though it looked fragile, it was deadly when put to use. Baldeo could cut down a tree using his axe in just three or four swift strokes. Baldeo was emotionally attached to his axe because it belonged to his forefathers and its axe-head had been made by his father over a charcoal fire. That is why he carried the axe wherever he went and did not part with it in return for a good amount of money. (v) State Baldeo s skill in using his axe. Why was he proud of it? Answer: Baldeo had excellent skill in using his axe. He could cut down a tree with just three or four swift strokes using his axe, as neatly as if it had been sawn. He was proud of it because of the skill he had acquired in killing wild animals with it. (i) What is cutting? Give the meaning of: loomed up menacingly. Answer: A cutting refers to a narrow open passage that is dug through high ground for a railway tunnel or a road. It means that in the darkness the black entrance to the tunnel appeared threateningly. (ii) What was the problem Baldeo faced before the arrival fo the mail train? Answer: Just five minutes before the arrival of the mail train, the signal light was out and Baldeo would have to rush back to his hut if the oil in the signal lamp had finished. (iii) State what made Baldeo hurry up. What steps did he take to make the signal light work? How did he ensure that the line was clear for the train? Answer: The signal light was out and the mail train was due in five minutes and (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) within five minutes Baldeo had to light the lamp and check the tunnel of any obstruction. Baldeo hauled the lamp down by its chain, checked the oil in the lamp and finding a little oil still remaining, lit the lamp and put it back into position. In order to ensure that the line was clear, Baldeo took his own lamp in his hand walked down the tunnel and by swinging his lamp, which cast shadows on the wall made sure that there was no obstruction in the line. Explain the circumstances that caused Baldeo to almost doze off. What awakened him all of a sudden? Answer: Baldeo was out in the dark, chilling night at the railway signal. He walked from his hut to the station, lighted the signal lamp and checked the tunnel of any obstruction. Since the train was late, he huddled up in a corner and dozed off in the biting cold. Briefly summarize how Baldeo is a responsible employee as well as a caring father. Answer: Baldeo was indeed a responsible employee. He would not shirk his duty even in the dead of night, extreme cold and amidst prowling wild animals. Every night, he used to leave the warmth of his bed to proceed toward the station, lit the signal lamp and walking down the tunnel check for any obstruction in the line. Baldeo was a caring father. He took up the job of a watchman, unmindful of having to stay away from home and family, just to supplement his meager income from land. When he heard the roar of a tiger, his first thought was whether the tiger was moving towards his hut, where his son was sleeping unprotected. What indicated that the tiger had sprung into the cutting? Answer: The absence of usual jungle noises and the thump and rattle of small stones made by the forward march of the tiger, indicated that it had entered the cutting. What was Baldeo s main worry? Why is it said: He did not have to wonder for long ? Answer: Baldeo s main worry was whether the tiger was moving towards his hut, where his son, Tembu was fast asleep, unprotected. It is said that he did not have to wonder for long because he could see the tiger moving towards him. How are the eyes of the tiger described in the story? Why, according to Baldeo, was flight useless? Answer: The tiger s eyes have been described as shining green in the light from the signal lamp. Baldeo thought that flight would be useless because the tiger would be faster and sure-footed than him and would soon pounce upon him. How did Baldeo position himself as the tiger moved towards him? Answer: As the tiger moved towards Baldeo, he stood with his back to the signal post, motionless, staring at the tiger with courage and without being intimidated. Briefly describe the courage of Baldeo. Answer: Baldeo did not lose his calm and courage on seeing the tiger moving towards him. Although he was aware that flight would be useless, he decided not to be an easy prey to the tiger. He stood there motionless, waiting for his prey. As the tiger pounced on him, he hit it with his axe, wounded it and almost served its leg. Unfortunately, his axe got struck in the tiger s shoulder, the tiger tore his body and put to an end the life of valiant Baldeo. Where was Baldeo? Why had the tiger become fearless? Answer: Baldeo was standing at the station with his back to the signal. The tiger had become fearless because it had become used to the ways of men, for he had been preying on them for years. Describe Baldeo s encounter with the tiger. Answer: The tiger attacked Baldeo with its right paw. But Baldeo, who was prepared to defend himself, made an agile leap and avoided the tiger s paw. He hit his axe on the tiger s shoulder. The tiger roared and tried to come closer to Baldeo. This time Baldeo hit the tiger on the shoulder and almost severed its leg. But unfortunately, (iii) (iv) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) the axe got struck in the tiger s bone and Baldeo became weaponless. The tiger, now furious with pain sprang on Baldeo, tore his body and killed him. Describe the arrival of the overland mail. How did the tiger find itself trapped in the tunnel? Answer: The overland mail entered the cutting with its engine puffing and climbing steadily. As it advanced through the trees, the glow of its furnace could be seen with the showers of sparks falling like Diwali lights over the forest. The tiger was in agony because of his wounded leg and did not notice the faint rumble on the earth caused by the moving train. The overland mail entered the tunnel and the tiger saw it but found himself trapped in the narrow cutting with no space to run for safety. How far is the title of the story appropriate? Answer: The title of the story is quite apt because the entire story revolves around one incident in which a tiger appears in the tunnel through which the train used to pass and the deadly encounter between the ferocious man-eater and the night watchman at the traffic signal. Explain how the tiger was cut into half by the engine. Answer: The wounded tiger failed to notice the train entering the cutting and was trapped in the tunnel. The train passed through the tunnel and the tiger was cut into half by the engine and its major portion got struck in the train s cowcatcher. Where was Baldeo s body? Who sat there beside the body guarding it? Who arrived early at the dawn? Answer: Baldeo s body was lying at the cutting. Baldeo s son, Tembu sat beside the body guarding it from wild animals. The relief watchman arrived early at the dawn. What was the impact of Baldeo s death on his family? Answer: Baldeo s family remained grief-stricken for two whole days. However, despite the great tragedy of losing his father and the only earning member, Baldeo s son, Tembu took over his father s responsibility on himself and assumed the job of a watchman at the signal stop. With what confidence did TEmbu take up his father s responsibility as the watchman? Why was he no longer afraid of anything? Answer: Tembu took up his father s responsibility with the confidence that his father s axe and blessings are with him. He was no longer afraid of anything because his father had killed the most fearsome enemy the man-eater tiger. Describe Baldeo s courage while working at the signal-post. Answer: Baldeo did not lose his calm and courage on seeing the tiger moving towards him. Although he was aware that flight would be useless, he decided not to be an easy prey to the tiger. He stood there motionless, waiting for his prey. As the tiger pounced on him, he hit it with his axe, wounded it and almost served its leg. Unfortunately, his axe got struck in the tiger s shoulder, the tiger tore his body and put to an end the life of valiant Baldeo. Princess September What did the King say, which made him cry bitterly in the company of the queen? What do you find strange in the way he treated the queen? Why was the queen uneasy? Answer: The king said that he would cut off the queen s head after the birth of their twelfth daughter. The king s decision to cut off the queen s head was strange because he was extremely fond of his queen. The queen felt uneasy on hearing the king s decision to cut off her head because she knew that the king would be unhappy after doing so. How many daughters did the King and Queen have? Why were they named after the months of the year? How were the King s daughters named earlier? Answer: The king and queen had nine daughters. They were named after the months (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) of the year, because they were nine and the days of the week were not sufficient to name then. The king s daughter s were first named after the four seasons, then the days of the week and finally months in a year. How was September different from her elder sisters? What was the reason for this difference? Give an example to show that the elder sisters of Princess September were jealous of her. Answer: Princess September had a very sweet and charming nature, whereas her elder sisters had embittered characters. The difference in their nature was because Princess September, being the youngest, had just one name, September, whereas her elder sisters names had been changed often, with the change in number of their siblings. The elder sisters of Princess September out of jealousy offered to buy her a green and yellow parrot to replace her singing nightingale. The King of Siam had an odd character. Show how this is shown in the following situations: (a) His liking for the parrot s greeting. (b) His act of giving presents on his birthday celebrations. Answer: (a) The King s liking for the parrot s greeting, God Save the King shows that he loved flattery. (b) The King s act of giving presents on his birthday shows that he did not value the feelings or sentiments of those who used to gift him presents on other occasions as he used to give those presents to others on his birthday. We are told that the King was extremely fond of the queen. Still he would have her head cut off. What does this tell us about him? How was the queen finally saved from this situation? Answer: Although the king was fond of the queen, yet he decided to have her head cut off. This shows that he was not emotionally attached to her. The queen was finally saved when she gave birth to sons only and named them after the letters of the alphabet. Compare the parrots to the nightingale. How does the author show that the nightingale represents an artist? Answer: The parrots could only say God Save the King and Pretty Polly in seven oriental languages whereas the nightingale could sing beautifully. The nightingale is shown to be an artist by depicting her as having good manners befitting an artist like bowing before the audience and being appreciated. What was the King s opinion about the phrases, God Save the King and Pretty Polly, which the parrots repeated? Answer: The king did not mind hearing the phrase God Save the King often but was tired of hearing the parrots repeating the phrase Pretty Polly . What happened to Princess September s parrot? How did she react to it? Answer: Princess September s parrot died in its golden cage. She was full of grief on finding that her parrot had died and burst into tears. She kept on crying and went to bed, without any supper. How did the Queen react to it? What does it tell us about her future? Answer: The queen was annoyed at Princess September s act of bursting into tears at the loss of her parrot. She considered it as sheer nonsense and sent Princess September to bed, without supper. This shows her to be an uncaring and unaffectionate mother. What did the Maids of Honour do with the Princess? Answer: The maids of Honour wanted to go to a party. So they put Princess September to bed as quickly as possible and went away leaving her by herself. (vi) What pulled the Princess out of her gloom? Answer: The beautiful song sung by the nightingale pulled Princess September out of her gloom. (i) What did the little bird sing about? Answer: The little bird sang about the lake in the king s garden, the reflection of the willow trees in the still water and the goldfish that seemed to glide in and out of the branches of the willow tree reflected in the water. (ii) What effect did it have on the Princess? Answer: The nightingale s song gave comfort to the mourning Princess. She stopped crying, forgot her grief and that she had not taken her supper. (iii) Why did the bird give the Princess a bow? What does it tell us about him? Answer: The bird gave the Princess a bow as a part of its artistic good manners. It tells us that the bird has the temperament of an artist. (iv) Why does the little bird offer to take the place of the Princess parrot? Answer: The little bird offered to take the place of the Princess parrot because of her charming nature and to provide comfort to her in her grief. (v) How did the Princess react ot the bird s offer? Answer: The Princess was delighted to hear the nightingale s offer and clapper her hands in joy. (vi) What in the story tells us that the Princess and the bird had become friends? Answer: Princess September and the bird became good friends. The princess used to take good care of the bird, whereas the bird used to sing beautiful songs to her as and when she desired. And as a true friend, the bird did not mind her putting him in a cage, whereas Princess September granted the bird freedom realizing that a true bird cannot sing in confinement. (i) Who are thy as referred to in the extract? What did they say? Answer: They refer to the eight parrots that belonged to the eight princesses. They used to say God Save the King and Pretty Polly in seven oriental languages. (ii) To what remark made by the King, do the Princesses say this? Answer: The Princesses made this remark when the king said that he was tired of hearing their parrots say Pretty Polly. (iii) What is the King s opinion about his councilors? What does it tell us about him? Answer: The king had a poor opinion of his councilors. According to him, his councilors said the same thing in seven different ways but without conveying any meaning. It tells us that the king had his own fixed principles and did not readily take the ideas of his councilors. (iv) Why were the Princesses characters naturally embittered? Answer: The Princesses characters were naturally embittered because of having to change their names often with the change in number of their sisters. (v) What do the Princesses do to avenge themselves on Princess September? Answer: The Princesses first offered to buy a lovely green and yellow parrot to replace the nightingale, in order to avenge themselves on Princess September. But when she declined the offer, they persuaded her to put the nightingale in a cage. (i) Where had the little bird gone? Why did he return so late? Answer: The little bird had gone to visit his father-in-law. He returned so late because he attended the party hosted by his father-in-law. (ii) What thoughts troubled the Princess when the bird did not come back in time? Answer: When the bird did not come in time the Princess thought whether the bird was in any trouble or had he been ensnared by hawks or men or whether he had forgotten her and taken fancy to somebody else. (iii) Why did the Princess finally put the bird in the cage? Answer: The Princess finally decided to put the bird in the cage because she was concerned for his safety and did not want to lose him as she had lost her parrot. (iv) What was the bird s reaction to the Princess action? Answer: The bird questioned the Princess as to why she has put him in the cage. But when she answered that it was for his safety, the bird did not mind her putting him in the cage as long as she would let him out in the morning. (v) Whaqt reasons did the Princess September give for her unusual action? Was the bird satisfied with it? Why? Answer: Princess September reasoned that to protect him from her mother s prowling cats she had put him in the cage. The bird said that he did not like living in the cage. But when the Princess told him that it was for his safety, the bird seemed satisfied with her reason because he thought that she would let her go out in the morning. (i) Did the Princess really know what was good for the bird? Give reasons for your answer. Answer: No, the Princess was not aware of what was good for the bird. She acted on the advice of her sisters and her own concern for the safety of the bird, without realizing the bird s need for freedom. (ii) What reason does the bird give for not singing? Answer: The bird said that he could not sing without seeing the trees, the lake and the green rice growing in the fields, since these beauties of nature inspired him to sing. (iii) What did the Princess do to satisfy the bird s wish? Did it help in any way? Answer: In order to satisfy the bird s wish, Princess September took the bird out in the open air to have him look at the trees, the lake and the green rice fields. No, it did not help the bird to sing because he longed for freedom and not just a glance at nature s beauty. (iv) What did the other Princesses say, when September informed them that the bird had stopped eating? Answer: The other Princesses told Princess September to remain firm in her act of putting the bird in the cage because it was for his good and safety only and that he would get used to the cage in a day. They further said that if he was obstinate, he would die and she would get rid of him. (v) When the Princess woke up the next morning, what did she see? Answer: When the Princess woke up, she saw the nightingale lying at the bottom of the cage, on his side, with his eyes closed and looking as if it were dead. (vi) What did the Princess do then? What did she say to the bird? Answer: On seeing the bird lying like a dead one, Princess September opened the door and lifted the bird with her hand out of the cage. She felt little relieved on finding that the bird was still alive. She told the bird that she had put him in the cage for his safety only but if that is harmful for him, she would let him out of the cage to be happy in his own way. (vii) How did her action help the bird? How did it help the Princess herself? Answer: Princess September s act of freeing the bird gave a new lease of life to him. He flew away but kept his promise and continued to visit Princess September, eating out of her hand and singing beautiful songs to her. Princess September kept the window of her room open all the time for the bird to come and go. This allowed sunlight and fresh air to enter her room. Consequently, she got nature s nourishment and grew up to be extremely beautiful and married the King of Cambodia.

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