PSEB Class 12 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy Important Question Answers from A Rainbow of English book (Section C)
PSEB Class 12 English The School for Sympathy Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for PSEB Class 12 A Rainbow of English Book (Section C) Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy now. The questions listed below are based on the latest PSEB exam pattern. All the Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
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PSEB Class 12 English Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy Textbook Questions
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
I. Short Answer Type Questions:
1. What does the author tell us about Miss Beam?
Ans. The author describes Miss Beam as a middle-aged, kind, understanding, and authoritative lady. She was gentle and motherly, with greying hair and a comforting presence that made children feel at home.
2. What was the real aim of Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. The real aim of Miss Beam’s school was to teach thoughtfulness, humanity, and citizenship. Her goal was to develop sympathy and kindness in children rather than just fill their minds with facts.
3. Why did the author feel sorry for some of the children?
Ans. The author felt sorry because he saw children who appeared to be blind, lame, and crippled. He thought they were genuinely suffering from physical disabilities.
4. Were the children playing in the ground really physically handicapped?
Ans. No, the children were not really handicapped. They were pretending to be disabled as part of Miss Beam’s teaching method to help them understand the difficulties faced by differently-abled people.
5. Why were the children acting to be blind, deaf or lame?
Ans. The children acted blind, deaf, or lame so that they could experience the hardships faced by people with disabilities and learn sympathy, understanding, and kindness toward them.
6. What is the educative value of a blind, deaf or a lame day?
Ans. These days help children understand and appreciate the challenges faced by people with disabilities. They teach kindness, helpfulness, and compassion, qualities essential for good citizenship.
7. Which day was the most difficult for children?
Ans. The blind day was considered the most difficult because the child could not see anything and had to depend completely on others for help.
8. Who did Miss Beam lead the author to?
Ans. Miss Beam led the author to a young girl with her eyes bandaged, who was experiencing her blind day.
9. How did the girl with the bandaged eyes feel on her blind day?
Ans. The girl said she found it awful to be blind. She felt frightened, thought she might bump into things, and said sitting down was a relief.
10. What does the girl tell the author about her guides?
Ans. The girl said her guides were kind and helpful, though not always careful. She added that those who had already experienced a blind day were better guides.
11. What, according to the girl with the bandaged eyes, is almost fun?
Ans. According to the girl, having a leg tied up and hopping on a crutch is almost fun compared to being blind.
12. Why does the girl with the bandaged eyes say that her head aches all the time on her blind day?
Ans. The girl with the bandaged eyes said her head ached because she constantly dodged imaginary obstacles, fearing she might be hit by something she could not see.
13. What does the girl with the bandaged eyes tell the author about the head girl?
Ans. The girl with the bandaged eyes said that the head girl’s name was Millie, described her as wearing a blue skirt and pink blouse, and added that Millie was “awfully decent.”
14. What does the girl with the bandaged eyes say about the gardener?
Ans. The girl with the bandaged eyes told the author that the old gardener’s name was Peter and jokingly said he was “hundreds of years old.”
15. What made Miss Beam think that there was something in her system?
Ans. When the author said he had become more thoughtful after guiding the blindfolded girl, Miss Beam realized her system was effective in developing sympathy and understanding among students.
II Long Answer Type Questions:
1. What did the author see in Miss Beam’s school at first sight? How did he feel about it?
Ans. When the author first visited Miss Beam’s school, he saw a large garden and cheerful children playing. However, he soon noticed that some children appeared to be blind, lame, or crippled. One girl had her eyes covered with a bandage, another used a crutch, and some looked helpless. This sight filled the author with sadness and pity, as he thought they were genuinely disabled. He felt sorry for them and wondered why there were so many handicapped children in one school. Later, he learned that these disabilities were part of Miss Beam’s unique teaching method to develop sympathy in her students.
2. Give a brief character-sketch of Miss Beam.
Ans. Miss Beam was a kind-hearted, understanding, and compassionate woman devoted to moral education. She was middle-aged, gentle, and comforting, with a motherly appearance that made children feel secure. She believed education should not only focus on academics but also on humanity and sympathy. Her innovative system taught children to understand and share the pain of others through practical experience. Miss Beam’s approach reflected her wisdom and deep understanding of human nature. She combined discipline with kindness and inspired her students to become thoughtful and responsible citizens. Her school was truly a “School for Sympathy,” guided by her noble vision.
3. What is the theme of the lesson ‘The School for Sympathy’?
Ans. The main theme of The School for Sympathy is the importance of developing compassion, kindness, and understanding for others. E.V. Lucas highlights that true education goes beyond learning facts, it lies in shaping good human beings. Miss Beam’s school follows a unique method where children experience temporary disabilities like blindness or lameness to understand the struggles of the less fortunate. This teaches them empathy, patience, and helpfulness. The story emphasizes moral education over intellectual learning and promotes the idea that a truly educated person is one who can feel and share another’s sorrow. Humanity, not just knowledge, defines real education.
4. Give a brief account of the author’s visit to Miss Beam’s school.
Ans. The author visited Miss Beam’s school to learn about her innovative teaching methods. At first, he saw cheerful children but felt sorry for some who seemed disabled. Miss Beam explained that these children were not truly handicapped; they were observing “blind,” “lame,” or “dumb” days to understand others’ difficulties. The author met a girl on her blind day and guided her around the garden, describing everything to her. This experience made him more thoughtful and aware of the struggles of the disabled. He left the school deeply impressed, realizing the true purpose of education, to build sympathy and humanity in students.
5. ‘In the course of the term every child has one blind day, one deaf day, one maimed day, one dumb day.’ What were the children expected to do on these days?
Ans. On these special days, each child at Miss Beam’s school experienced a temporary disability to understand the hardships faced by others. During the blind day, students had their eyes bandaged and were guided by others. On the lame day, they used a crutch to move, while on the dumb day, they could not speak. Similarly, on the deaf day, they had to communicate through gestures. These exercises taught the children patience, understanding, and helpfulness. The helpers also learned to be kind and considerate. The system made students realize the value of sympathy and the importance of helping those in need.
Punjab Board Class 12 English Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy Extra Question and Answers
Extract-Based Questions
A.
“Miss Beam was all that I had expected – middle-aged, authoritative, kindly, and understanding. Her hair was beginning to turn grey, and her figure had a fullness likely to be comforting to a homesick child. We talked idly for a little while, and then I asked her some questions as to her scholastic methods, which I had heard were simple. ‘….. No more than is needful to get application into them, and those only of the simplest – spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying, writing. The rest is done by reading to them and by illustrated discourse, during which they have to sit still and keep their hands quiet. Practically there are no other lessons at all’. ‘….. I have heard so much’, I said, ‘about the originality of your system.’ Miss Beam smiled. ‘Ah, yes’, she said. “I am coming to that. The real aim of this school is not so much to instil thought as thought-fulness, humanity, citizenship. That is the idea I have always had, and happily there are parents good enough to trust me to try and put it into execution’. Look out of the window a minute, will you?””
Q1. How does the author describe Miss Beam’s appearance and nature?
Ans. The author describes Miss Beam as a middle-aged, kind, and understanding woman. Her greying hair and motherly figure gave her a comforting and trustworthy appearance, especially for homesick children.
Q2. What kind of education did Miss Beam provide to her students?
Ans. Miss Beam’s school focused on teaching only the basic subjects like spelling, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and writing. The rest of the learning was done through reading and discussions.
Q3. What was the real aim of Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. The real aim of Miss Beam’s school was to develop thoughtfulness, humanity, and citizenship among students instead of focusing only on intellectual development.
Q4. What made Miss Beam’s system of education different from others?
Ans. Miss Beam’s system was unique because it emphasized moral and emotional education through experience, helping students learn sympathy and kindness instead of mere academic facts.
Q5. What did Miss Beam mean by “put it into execution”?
Ans. By “put it into execution”, Miss Beam meant that she was successfully implementing her idea of creating a school that nurtured kindness, empathy, and responsibility among children.
B. “Miss Beam laughed. ‘Oh, no’, she said, ‘she’s not lame, really; this is only her lame day. Nor are those others blind; it is only their blind day.’ I must have looked very much astonished, for she laughed again. “There you have an essential part of our system in a nutshell. In order to get a real appreciation and understanding of misfortune into these young minds we make them participants in misfortune too. In the course of the term every child has one blind day, one lame day, one deaf day, one maimed day, one dumb day. During the blind day their eyes are bandaged absolutely, and it is a point of honour not to peep. The bandage is put on overnight; they wake blind. This means that they need assistance in everything, and other children are told off to help them and lead them about. It is educative to both of them – the blind and the helpers.””
Q1. Why was the author surprised after seeing the children?
Ans. The author was surprised because he thought the children were truly blind or lame. He didn’t realize that they were pretending as part of Miss Beam’s special educational exercises.
Q2. What was the purpose of these special days in Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. The purpose of these special days was to help children understand the difficulties of those who are disabled and to develop sympathy, kindness, and a sense of responsibility towards others.
Q3. What were the different ‘days’ observed in the school?
Ans. The school observed a blind day, lame day, deaf day, maimed day, and dumb day, each helping students experience different forms of disability.
Q4. How did the children behave on their ‘blind day’?
Ans. On the blind day, students had their eyes bandaged from the night before and were not allowed to peek. They had to depend completely on other children for help.
Q5. What was the educational value of such exercises?
Ans. These exercises helped children become more thoughtful and compassionate, teaching them the importance of helping others and understanding human suffering.
C. “’Oh yes,’ she said; ‘let’s go for a little walk. Only you must tell me about things. I shall be so glad when today’s over. The other bad days can’t be half as bad as this. Having a leg tied up and hopping about a crutch is almost fun. I guess having an arm tied is a little more troublesome, because you have to get your food cut up for you, and so on; but it doesn’t really matter. And as for being deaf for a day, I shan’t mind that at least, not much. But being blind is so frightening. My head aches all the time, just from dodging things that probably aren’t there. Where are we now?’ ‘In the playground’, I said, ‘going towards the house. Miss Beam is walking up and down the terrace with a tall girl.’ ”
Q1. Who is the speaker in the extract and to whom is she speaking?
Ans. The speaker is a young girl experiencing her blind day, and she is speaking to the author who is guiding her through the school garden.
Q2. Why does the girl say she will be glad when the day is over?
Ans. The girl says this because she finds it extremely difficult and frightening to move around without sight and constantly fears bumping into things.
Q3. Which day did the girl find the most difficult and why?
Ans. The girl found the blind day most difficult because she could not see anything and had to depend completely on others for help.
Q4. What did the girl say about the other ‘bad days’?
Ans. The girl said that the lame day was almost fun, the dumb day a little troublesome, and the deaf day not very hard, but the blind day was the worst of all.
Q5. Why did the girl’s head ache during her blind day?
Ans. The girl’s head ached because she was constantly anxious and dodging imaginary obstacles, fearing she might bump into unseen things.
D. “And so we walked on, and in streering this little thing about I discovered that I was ten times more thoughtful already than I had any notion of, and also that the necessity of describing the surrounding to another makes them more interesting. When Miss Beam came to release me I was sorry to go, and said so. ‘Ah!’ she replied; ‘then there is something in my system after all!’ I walked back to the town murmuring (inaccurately as ever) the lines:
Can I see another’s woe
And not share their sorrow too?
O no, never can it be,
Never, never, can it be.”
Q1. What did the author realize while guiding the blindfolded girl?
Ans. The author realized that helping and describing things to the girl made him more observant, thoughtful, and considerate toward others.
Q2. What does the author mean by ‘ten times more thoughtful already’?
Ans. ‘Ten times more thoughtful already’, means that the author became much more aware of other people’s needs and feelings after experiencing the responsibility of guiding someone who could not see.
Q3. Why was the author sorry to leave the school?
Ans. The author was sorry because he was deeply moved by Miss Beam’s system and the touching experience of helping the blindfolded girl. He felt emotionally enriched.
Q4. How did Miss Beam react when the author said he was sorry to go?
Ans. Miss Beam smiled and said that his feelings proved there was indeed “something in her system,” meaning her method was successful in creating sympathy and understanding.
Q5. What lines did the author recall at the end and what do they signify?
Ans. The author recalled the lines, “Can I see another’s woe and not share their sorrow too?” These lines signify the spirit of empathy and compassion that Miss Beam’s school aimed to cultivate in every student.
Multiple-Choice Questions
Q1. Who is the author of The School for Sympathy?
A. Charles Lamb
B. E.V. Lucas
C. William Wordsworth
D. Robert Frost
Ans. B. E.V. Lucas
Q2. What was Miss Beam’s profession?
A. Doctor
B. Teacher
C. Principal of a school
D. Social worker
Ans. C. Principal of a school
Q3. What was the main aim of Miss Beam’s school?
A. To make students excel in studies
B. To prepare students for exams
C. To teach thoughtfulness and humanity
D. To train students for sports
Ans. C. To teach thoughtfulness and humanity
Q4. How did the author describe Miss Beam?
A. Young and strict
B. Middle-aged, kind, and understanding
C. Old and harsh
D. Tall and serious
Ans. B. Middle-aged, kind, and understanding
Q5. What subjects were taught in Miss Beam’s school?
A. All academic subjects
B. Only science and mathematics
C. Simple lessons like spelling and arithmetic
D. Only art and music
Ans. C. Simple lessons like spelling and arithmetic
Q6. What was special about Miss Beam’s teaching system?
A. It focused only on discipline
B. It encouraged competition
C. It helped children develop sympathy
D. It emphasized memorization
Ans. C. It helped children develop sympathy
Q7. Why did the author feel sorry for the children at first?
A. They were poor
B. They looked sad
C. They appeared to be disabled
D. They were punished
Ans. C. They appeared to be disabled
Q8. Were the children in Miss Beam’s school really handicapped?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Some were
D. Only the girls were
Ans. B. No
Q9. What was the ‘lame day’?
A. A day when students did not walk
B. A day when students pretended to be lame
C. A sports day
D. A rest day for children
Ans. B. A day when students pretended to be lame
Q10. What was considered the most difficult day by the students?
A. Lame day
B. Deaf day
C. Blind day
D. Dumb day
Ans. C. Blind day
Q11. How were the blind children helped during their ‘blind day’?
A. By their teachers
B. By their friends acting as guides
C. By their parents
D. By the author
Ans. B. By their friends acting as guides
Q12. What did the author realize after guiding the blindfolded girl?
A. It was easy to help others
B. He became more thoughtful
C. It was a waste of time
D. It made no difference
Ans. B. He became more thoughtful
Q13. What was the reaction of Miss Beam when the author said he was sorry to go?
A. She was sad
B. She was angry
C. She smiled and said her system worked
D. She ignored him
Ans. C. She smiled and said her system worked
Q14. What did Miss Beam’s system aim to develop in students?
A. Confidence and courage
B. Sympathy and understanding
C. Leadership and teamwork
D. Obedience and discipline
Ans. B. Sympathy and understanding
Q15. What did the girl with the bandaged eyes say about being blind?
A. It was fun
B. It was easy
C. It was awful and frightening
D. It was relaxing
Ans. C. It was awful and frightening
Q16. Who was Millie in the story?
A. The gardener
B. The head girl
C. The blindfolded girl
D. The teacher’s assistant
Ans. B. The head girl
Q17. What did the girl say about the gardener, Peter?
A. He was young and lazy
B. He was rude
C. He was hundreds of years old
D. He was new at school
Ans. C. He was hundreds of years old
Q18. What did the author feel after visiting Miss Beam’s school?
A. Happy and more sympathetic
B. Bored and tired
C. Angry and confused
D. Indifferent and careless
Ans. A. Happy and more sympathetic
Q19. Which poem lines did the author recall at the end?
A. Lines about courage
B. Lines about sympathy and sorrow
C. Lines about knowledge
D. Lines about discipline
Ans. B. Lines about sympathy and sorrow
Q20. What is the central message of The School for Sympathy?
A. Education should build intellectual ability
B. Education should develop sympathy and humanity
C. Education should focus on physical fitness
D. Education should train students for jobs
Ans. B. Education should develop sympathy and humanity
True or False
State whether the following are true or false-
1. Miss Beam was a young and strict teacher.
2. The author had heard a lot about Miss Beam’s school.
3. The main aim of Miss Beam’s school was to teach sympathy and kindness.
4. The children in the school were really handicapped.
5. On the “blind day,” students had to keep their eyes covered with a bandage.
6. Other children helped those who were blindfolded.
7. The blind day was considered the easiest day by the students.
8. The author became more thoughtful after guiding a blindfolded girl.
9. Miss Beam was happy that her system was working successfully.
10. The story “The School for Sympathy” teaches the value of kindness and understanding.
Answers-
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. True
Fill in the blanks
1. The story The School for Sympathy is written by _________.
2. Miss Beam’s school was famous for its system of developing ________ among students.
3. The author described Miss Beam as ________, kind, and understanding.
4. On the “blind day,” children had their ________ bandaged.
5. During these special days, students learned to feel the ________ of others.
6. The author guided a ________ girl around the school grounds.
7. The blind day was considered the most ________ day by the students.
8. The real aim of the school was to teach thoughtfulness, humanity, and ________.
9. The author left the school feeling ________ and sympathetic.
10. Miss Beam’s teaching system made children more ________ towards others.
Answers-
1. E.V. Lucas
2. sympathy
3. middle-aged
4. eyes
5. difficulties
6. blindfolded
7. difficult
8. citizenship
9. happy
10. thoughtful
Extra Questions
Answer the following questions-
Q1. Who was Miss Beam and what was special about her school?
Ans. Miss Beam was a kind, middle-aged woman who ran a school known for its unique approach to moral education. Her school focused not only on academic learning but also on developing empathy and compassion among students. Instead of merely teaching lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic, she trained children to understand the value of kindness and humanity. Her teaching methods included special days when students experienced temporary disabilities like blindness or lameness to learn sympathy. Through these thoughtful exercises, Miss Beam’s school taught real-life lessons of understanding, responsibility, and emotional intelligence that went far beyond ordinary education.
Q2. What was the main aim of Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. The main aim of Miss Beam’s school was to develop moral and emotional strength in children. She wanted to make her students thoughtful, sympathetic, and responsible citizens. Her system focused on building humanity and understanding rather than simply filling the mind with facts. According to her, education should teach children how to care for others and become sensitive to human suffering. Through practical experiences like blind, lame, or deaf days, the children learned how difficult life can be for those with disabilities. Miss Beam’s philosophy reflected the belief that true education must shape character and compassion above everything else.
Q3. How did Miss Beam make her students understand the meaning of misfortune?
Ans. Miss Beam helped her students understand the meaning of misfortune by allowing them to experience it firsthand. Each child in her school had to spend one day as blind, lame, deaf, maimed, or dumb. On these days, their classmates helped them move around, eat, or communicate, which built empathy on both sides. This unique system helped the students realize the daily struggles faced by people who suffer from real disabilities. By temporarily sharing their difficulties, they learned the importance of kindness, patience, and helpfulness. This practice made them more sensitive, caring, and aware of others’ hardships in life.
Q4. Why was the author surprised when he saw the children in Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. The author was surprised when he first saw the children because many of them appeared to be blind, lame, or disabled. He thought the school was meant for physically challenged students. However, Miss Beam explained that the children were perfectly healthy and were only acting disabled as part of a special exercise. Each child had a day assigned to experience a disability, such as blindness or lameness, to learn sympathy and understanding. The author found this method both surprising and deeply impressive, as it turned moral education into a living experience rather than just a theoretical lesson.
Q5. What happened on the ‘blind day’ in Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. On the “blind day,” students had their eyes covered with a thick bandage from morning till evening. It was considered a matter of honour not to peek. The blindfolded students had to depend entirely on their classmates for guidance, movement, and even basic activities like eating or walking. This exercise helped them realize how challenging and uncertain life can be without vision. At the same time, it taught the helpers responsibility, care, and attentiveness. The “blind day” was the most difficult but also the most meaningful, as it helped children truly understand the importance of sight and compassion.
Q6. How did the children who helped the blindfolded ones benefit from the exercise?
Ans. The children who acted as helpers during the blind day benefited just as much as those who were blindfolded. They learned patience, care, and alertness while guiding their classmates. Every small movement required attention and empathy to ensure safety. This responsibility taught them the value of service and made them realize how much effort goes into helping others. The helpers also discovered that real sympathy means not just feeling sorry for others but actively supporting them. By helping their peers, they grew into more responsible, kind, and understanding individuals who valued cooperation and human connection.
Q7. What did the author experience while guiding the blind girl?
Ans. When the author guided the blindfolded girl around the school, he became much more thoughtful and observant. He realized that describing things to someone who cannot see them made him notice and appreciate details he would otherwise ignore. He felt a sense of responsibility for her safety and comfort. The experience awakened a deep feeling of compassion and understanding within him. The author also noticed how calm and brave the girl was despite her blindness, which moved him greatly. By the end of the walk, he felt more
sensitive, aware, and grateful for his own abilities and senses.
Q8. Why did the blind day seem more difficult than other special days?
Ans. The blind day was the most difficult because it deprived the students of their most important sense, sight. Without vision, the children felt helpless, frightened, and insecure. They constantly worried about bumping into things or falling, and their heads ached from the strain of imagining obstacles that might not even exist. The other special days, such as the lame or dumb days, were easier because they allowed some independence. But blindness demanded total reliance on others. This experience taught the students humility, trust, and appreciation for those who live with permanent blindness and still face life bravely.
Q9. What did the author learn at the end of his visit to Miss Beam’s school?
Ans. By the end of his visit, the author was deeply impressed and emotionally moved. He realized that Miss Beam’s system was not only original but truly effective in teaching sympathy and understanding. After guiding the blind girl, he himself became more thoughtful and compassionate. He understood that true education is not limited to books or exams but lies in developing kindness, empathy, and awareness of others’ needs. The author left the school with a changed perspective, feeling grateful for his own abilities and determined to be more caring and considerate toward those who suffer.
Q10. What message does the story ‘The School for Sympathy’ convey?
Ans. The story conveys the message that education should focus on building character, empathy, and kindness, not just academic excellence. Miss Beam’s school shows that real learning comes from understanding and sharing the feelings of others. By experiencing temporary disabilities, students learned how to be thoughtful, patient, and compassionate. The story teaches that sympathy is the foundation of humanity, and true education should prepare individuals to live harmoniously and helpfully in society. E.V. Lucas reminds us that being educated means being human, someone who can feel others’ pain and act with love and understanding.