CBSE Class 12 English Core Chapter-wise Previous Years Questions (2019) with Solution
Class 12 English Core Question Paper (2019) – Solved Question papers from previous years are very important for preparing for the CBSE Board Exams. It works as a treasure trove. It helps to prepare for the exam precisely. One of key benefits of solving question papers from past board exams is their ability to help identify commonly asked questions. These papers are highly beneficial study resources for students preparing for the upcoming class 12th board examinations. Here we have compiled chapter-wise questions asked in all the sets of CBSE Class 12 English Core question paper (2019).
Flamingo Book
Chapter 1 – The Last Lesson
Q1. How and why was M. Hamel dressed differently that day? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. It was in honour of the last lesson that M. Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes. He was wearing his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and his little black silk embroidered cap that he wore only on inspection and prize days.
Q2. Why were the old men of the village sitting in the classroom on the last day of the lesson? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. They were there to pay respect to M Hamel’s service of forty years as it was his last day in the school.
Q3. Who did M. Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. M. Hamel blamed the parents for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz because their parents wanted them to work on farm to earn some money. Franz himself wanted to enjoy his time and thus, avoided going to school. M. Hamel blamed himself too for the neglect as he made the boys work in the garden which made them miss their lessons and whenever he wanted to go fishing, he gave them a holiday.
Q4. Why did the village elders occupy the back benches in the classroom to attend the last lesson delivered by M. Hamel? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The village elders occupied the back benches in the classroom to attend the last lesson delivered by M. Hamel because they felt sorry for not attending the school ever. They wanted to show their sympathy and respect for the teachers. They thanked M. Hamel for his long and devoted service of forty years to teach the children of the school.
Q5. How did M. Hamel make his last lesson a special one? What did he emphasize in it? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. M. Hamel made his last lesson special by wearing a special outfit and talking about the French language at length. He told that it was the most beautiful language in the world the clearest and the most logical. He asked the students that they must guard it because when people are enslaved, the language is the only key to their prison.
Q6. Everybody during the last lesson was filled with regret. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. According to the order from Berlin, only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This order left Mr. Hamel, the village people and the Mr. Hamel’s students in deep regret. The villagers regretted not having made utmost use of the French lessons that they had been given by Mr Hamel. They had engaged themselves in their profession to earn a living and had not taken their French lessons seriously. The children and the villagers sitting in the class had always thought that they had enough time to learn the language. But now, during the last French lesson, everybody realised their mistake. They realised how little they knew their native language. They all attended the last lesson to show their respect to their teacher and their country, which was no longer theirs.
Q7. ‘The Last Lesson’ shows that people suddenly realised how precious their language was to them. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The story was written in the days of the Franco-Prussian war in which France was defeated by Prussia. In this story the French districts of Alsace-Lorraine have passed into Prussian hands. M. Hamel is the teacher of French and a boy, Franz who never serious in the class of M. Hamel. One day he was late for school. He feared that his teacher would scold as he was not very sure about participles which the teacher, M. Hamel, is going to test that day. But finally he decided to go to school. As he entered he saw the crowd has gathered round the bulletin board. He did not stop there. On arriving at school, he noted an unusual silence. He entered into the class and was greeted with a strange sight. The last benches which were always empty were occupied by the village elders who look grim and solemn. Franz noticed M. Hamel was dressed nicely and asked Franz to sit so that he could start his lesson. The teacher made a startling announcement that this would be their last lesson in French as the new teacher would be arriving the following day. He said, “The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.” There came a sudden change in the minds of the people and they developed a new profound love French. Franz was overcome with a feeling of remorse and regretted for wasting his time in trivial pursuits. He decided to pay attention to the lesson since school had become very important for him. The people and Franz himself realized how precious their language is to them. M. Hamel had been teaching in that school for last forty years. His dedication, devotion, discipline impressed them. He realizes the real worth of his school and the teacher whom they have all taken for granted all these years. M. Hamel in his last address told about the importance of French. He called that it was the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and the most logical one. M.Hamel was overcome by strong emotions and in large letter he wrote on the board ‘Viva La France’ — long live France!
Q8. What was unusual in the market and in the classroom on the day of the last lesson? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. There was a huge crowd around the bulletin board which displayed all news and announcements related to the war. It indicated that something new had been put up there. The school was unusually quiet like it used to be on a Sunday morning. There was no hustle bustle, no sound of desks creaking. M Hamel was walking in one of the classrooms with his stick under his arm. He wore a solemn expression and was gentle. Franz was scared of being reprimanded for coming late to school. However, M Hamel spoke gently and was unusually calm. All these changes made Franz wonder.
Q9. How was M. Hamel different in his last lesson? Who did he scold and for what? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. M Hamel had taught in the school for the last forty years. However, an order from Prussia, made it his last lesson that day because now, French would no longer be taught in schools of the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine. This announcement had a deep impact on the teacher. He was solemn and gentle. He walked up and down the rows of the classroom with his stick placed under his arm. However, his behaviour was unusual. He was gentle and calm in opposition to his strict demeanour. He did not scold Franz for being late that day. That day, M Hamel was dressed in his formal attire which he would wear only on special occasions. He sat motionless, gazing at things, perhaps to fix the setting of the classroom in his mind.
That day, he did not scold Franz for being late or for not preparing the topic of Participles. He rued that the French did not take studies seriously and put it off for another day. The parents and teachers were to be blamed for not taking academics seriously. M Hamel blamed himself also for going fishing and sending students to water the plants instead of teaching them. Thus, he made confessions and tried to amend by conveying the importance of the mother tongue to the students.
Q10. ‘The order from Berlin banning teaching of French stunned everyone. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. As Berlin annexed the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine, Prussia announced that instead of French language, German would be taught in the schools there. This order came as a thunderclap for the students, especially Franz. Now he wanted to study and that day he was able to understand the entire lesson that was taught in the class. He even developed a liking for M Hamel whom he had found to be strict earlier. Franz lamented for not being serious towards studying his mother tongue. Now he would not get a chance to study it. His dejection and anguish is evident from his insight when he questions whether they would teach the pigeons cooing on the roof of the class to coo in German language. By this, Franz displayed his protest against the order that snatched away their mother tongue from them.
Also see:
The Last Lesson Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
The Last Lesson Summary, Explanation
The Last Lesson Character Sketches
Chapter 2 – Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood
Q1. Describe the irony in Saheb’s name. [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Saheb-e-alam is a ragpicker but his name means the king of the Universe. This is ironical because Saheb’s life is exactly opposite to that of a king. He just scrounges heaps of garbage in search of any useful things like torn shoes, clothes and coins.
Q2. What change did Saheb feel working at the tea shop? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Saheb before was a rag-picker by chance he got a job to work at the tea stall down the road. There he was paid 800 ruppes & all his meals. But his face lost his care free look. We were no longer his own master. The steel milk canister seemed heavier than the the plastic bag. It belonged to his teamster and the life under the master was not a life a happiness.
Q3. What is Mukesh’s dream? How can he achieve it? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Mukesh dreams to be a motor mechanic. He does not want to go for the traditional profession of glass bangle-making which harms their health and does not provide much income. He plans to learn to drive a car, go to a garage and learn the work of a motor mechanic. He is ready to walk to the garage which is far from his home.
Q4. What are the two most admirable qualities in Mukesh? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Two admirable qualities in Mukesh are that he dares to dream and is focused on achieving them. Mukesh refuses to accept his destiny as a bangle-maker like his father and ancestors. He is ready to walk the long distance from his house to the garage were could learn to be a motor mechanic which he aims to be.
Q5. ‘Garbage to them is gold.’ Why does the author say so about the ragpickers of Seemapuri? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The author says that Garbage is like gold for the ragpickers metaphorically to indicate that just like gold is precious for the common man, garbage is precious for the ragpickers. It is a source of wonder and a means to fulfil their dreams. At times, while scrounging through the heaps of garbage, they find precious articles which are as valuable to them as gold. They look for discarded pairs of shoes, clothes, and even a coin or two. The ragpickers can not afford to buy such articles and so, these garbage dumps are the only means to fulfil their desires.
Q6. “Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.” Explain. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The story ‘Lost Spring’ revolves around the pathetic lives of the poor children who live in the slums and work in unhygienic conditions. Seemapuri is a slum area on the periphery of Delhi with a settlement of more than 10,000 rag pickers. Those who live here are squatters who came from Bangladesh back in 1971. They live in the structures of mud with roofs of tin or tarpaulin, devoid of sewage systems, drainage or running water. One may think that the life of people living on the periphery of the national capital must be very easy-going, rich and good but it is all opposite. They have no identity or permits except ration cards as food is more important to them than any identity. Children grow up only to become the supporters of their parents in survival. To them, garbage means gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads. It is a gift for them because whenever they find some silver coin in a heap of garbage, they hope to survive on it for some days.
Q7. What kind of life did children living in Seemapuri lead? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Seemapuri is a settlement of more than 10,000 rag pickers situated on the periphery of Delhi. The people living there have migrated from Bangladesh. They lived in the structures of mud with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They did not have any identity or permits. Their children also helped them in earning their livelihood. Saheb was one of the children who lived here. He was from a poor family of Bangladesh. In order to earn their livelihood, his family shifted to Delhi where they settled in Seemapuri. But when they found no work to do, they became rag pickers. They had to search the garbage like others for something to make their livelihood. Sahib, whose age was to enjoy the life, go to school and live his childhood, also looked into the heaps of garbage for some coins. It was a tedious task as they used to leave their houses barefoot early in the morning with a bag on their shoulders. They did not have chappals, so they were not in a habit to wear them. Because their fields and homes were swept away in the flood in Bangladesh, so they came to the big city with a hope but even here they led a miserable life.
Q8. What are the hazards of working in a glass bangle industry? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The workers in glass bangle industries have to work around hot furnaces, welding glass. Although it is illegal for children to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures in dingy cells without air and light, these children slog the daylight hours and often lose the brightness of their eyes. They end up losing their eye sight before attaining adulthood. The workers go blind with the dust emanated from polishing of the glass bangles. Thus, the profession harms them physically.
Q9. Mukesh dares to dream of a different life. What circumstances forced Mukesh not to pursue his family business of bangle making? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Mukesh dreamt of becoming a car mechanic. He dared to dream to follow a different profession because he realized that the glass bangle industry harmed the workers’ health ahd did not provide them with sufficient money either. Thus, he wanted to breakout of the vicious circle created by the moneylenders and politicians. Mukesh wanted to do something different so that he could earn more money and improve the living standards of his family.
Q10. Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. How do they affect his life and that of the other bangle makers? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Mukesh is caught between his dreams and his reality. His dreams inspire him to progress in life but his reality does not let anyone dream beyond the family traditions. He is caught in a dilemma to choose between his dreams and the family’s traditional profession. Mukesh aspires to becomea car mechanic and learn driving. This way he can improve the living standards of his family. However, the family elders cannot dare to dream of following anyother profession than the traditional work of glass bangle making. They are caught in a vicious trap of the greedy moneylenders and powerful politicians but cannot gather the strngth to break free. Any such attempts like Mukesh’s are also trampled by the men in power.
Q11. Describe the life led by the migrants from Bangladesh who are living in Seemapuri. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The migrants from Bangladesh settled on the outskirts of Delhi in a slum called Seemapuri. They migrated in the year 1971 when their fields and homes were destroyed by storms. These migrants do ragpicking to earn a living. They live in structures made of mud with roofs of tin or tarpaulin. There is no sewage, drainage or running water supply in the locality. For more than thirty years around ten thousand migrants have been living here in such inhuman conditions. They have been given ration cards which enable their names to be added to the voter’s list. In return for their votes the politicians provide them some ration to eat. For these poverty ridden people, getting food to fill the stomach is the biggest priority and garbage is their means of survival as well as means of wonders.
Also see:
Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood Summary, Explanation
Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood MCQs
Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood Character Sketches
Chapter 3 – Deep Water
Q1. What qualities turned the diffident Douglas into a good swimmer? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Douglas developed a fear of water but his persistence and hardwork enabled him to overcome this fear. Finally, he learnt swimming and became a good swimmer.
Q2. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Piece by piece, the instructor built a good swimmer out of Douglas. He used ropes and belts to teach Douglas and instilled confidence in him by easing and pulling the rope. He made Douglas hold the side of the pool and kick his legs. Once he was fully prepared, the instructor asked Douglas to dive and swim across the length of the pool.
Q3. Why did William Douglas choose Y.M.C.A. pool when he decided to learn to swim? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. William’s mother had warned him that the Yakima river was treacherous. Comparatively, the YMCA pool was safer and so, he decided to go there.
Q4. Which two incidents in the life of William Douglas before he was ten years old created an aversion in his mind to water? [30 – 40 words]
OR
Which two incidents in Douglas’s early life made him scared of water? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. As a boy, Douglas was scared of water a lot. His first experience was on the sea beach when he was with his father and a powerful wave swept over him. Although, the wave receded but it left Douglas terrified. At the second time, when William Douglas was learning swimming in Y.M.C.A. pool, a strong boy threw him into the deep water of the pool. He was saved but the terror stayed with him and he couldn’t go near water for years.
Q5. Douglas has a near-death experience in his childhood which has a negative as well as a positive outcome. Justify the statement with evidences from the text. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Douglas’ near-death experience in his childhood has negative as well as positive outcomes. His misadventure at the YMCA swimming pool results in him developing an acute fear of water which took complete possession of him whenever he was anywhere near water. It ruined his fishing trips and deprived him of the joys of canoeing, boating and swimming. But once Douglas decided that he had to overcome his fear of water, it gave him a sense of determination. With his perseverance he made sure that he accomplished what he thought could not be possible. It also made him courageous and developed a positive attitude in him that aided him in achieving the goals he had set for himself.
Q6. Childhood fears are deeply entrenched in our mind. Determination, hard work and right training are needed to get rid of them. Comment on the statement in the light of Douglas’ efforts to overcome his fear of water. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. William Douglas’ life is a set example to prove the statement right. As a child of three or four when he was at the beach with his father, he developed a fear of water. The overpowering nature of the waves suffocated him and whenever he thought of going swimming, the fear would return.
Another incident at the age of ten or eleven when he nearly drowned at the YMCA pool developed a strong aversion for water in him. However, the urge to swim was so powerful that finally, William decided to hire an instructor and learn swimming. Thus, Douglas preserved and worked hard to finally become a good swimmer and overcame the fear of water.
Q7. Douglas says, “The instructor was finished, but I was not.” What did the instructor teach Douglas? How did Douglas finish the task begun by the instructor? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The instructor taught Douglas to swim and his step by step training made him a good swimmer. Once Douglas learnt swimming, he tried swimming in natural waters. At times, the fear would return but now Douglas would laugh at it and it would vanish. Thus, he realised that fear was only in the mind.
Also see:
Deep Water Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Deep Water Summary, Explanation
Chapter 4 – The Rattrap
Q1. Why did Edla decide to entertain the peddler against the wishes of her father? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. On the first glimpse of the peddler, Edla knew that he had committed some wrong deeds. However, her father insisted on bringing the man home. Now when he realized his mistake and that the man was not an old army comrade of his, he wanted to get rid of him. However, Edla insisted that they had got him home and had promised him Christmas cheer and so, she did not want to send him away.
Q2. How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. For the first time the peddler had encountered a person with selfless kindness in Edla. He showed gratitude by rising up to the mark of an army captain. He left her a gift of a rat trap, the stolen money and a thank you note.
Q3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation extended to him by the ironmaster? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. the peddler was guilty of committing the theft and so, was reluctant to go to the Manorhouse. He wanted to take a nap at the mill. He knew that the ironmaster was mistaking him for an old army comrade and so, he refused the invitation.
Q4. Why did the peddler accept the invitation extended by Edla having already declined the one from her father? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Edla’s friendly manner gave him confidence and he accepted the invitation which he had earlier refused.
Q5. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The crofter was a lonely fellow who lived on his own in a little gray cottage by the roadside. He had no wife or children, and craved company and friends. So, one day when the peddler turned up at his doorstep, he was happy to find someone to talk to, to be relieved of his boredom and monotony. This is the reason he was so talkative and friendly with the peddler.
Q6. Why was the crofter so kind and generous to the peddler? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The crofter was a lonely man and needed company. Thus, he was welcoming and generous towards the peddler.
Q7. ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. ‘The Rattrap’ is a bit philosophical story which tells that the world is a trap and the materialistic things are bait. In the story, the author tells that humans need someone to share their joys and sorrows. They can’t live alone and that’s why they are called social I animals. In the story too, the peddler is lonely and so is the crofter. The peddler is a lonely man who sells rattraps to avoid his loneliness whereas the crofter is an old man who has neither wife nor child. Due to his loneliness, he wants someone to talk to. So he becomes talkative and friendly with the peddler and allows him to have a conversation with him. He not only gives him a shelter but also gives him the food to eat and tobacco to smoke. He tells the peddler everything about himself and his earnings. On the other hand, the iron master and his daughter are also lonely. They have lots of money but no companion and so they request the peddler to spend Christmas with them.
Q8. What made the peddler finally change his ways? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The experience of the peddler at the manor of the Willmanssons made the peddler change his ways. Earlier he had never known a true sympathiser or well-wisher. He had no friend to steer him on the right path. Though the crofter was hospitable to him and even the ironmaster had almost offered him help, they failed to leave any impact on him. It was Edla who, through her genuine care and understanding, was finally able to change the peddler for the better.
Q9. How did the crofter tempt the peddler to steal his money? How did it change the peddler’s life? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The peddler was a lonely man who looked like a beggar. He was a homeless wanderer who used to sell rattraps. Once he knocked the door of a crofter who was equally lonely like him for a night stay. He was received by the crofter warmly and cheerfully. Crofter was proud of his cow that gave him enough milk. So he told the peddler about the thirty kronors he got by selling the milk of the cow and he used to keep his money in a leather pouch that hung from a nail in the window frame. He felt that the peddler did not believe him so he showed the money to convince him. Having stolen the money, the peddler didn’t find it safe to walk along the public highway. So he went through the woods and got lost. Here, he thought that the whole world was a rattrap and the money he had stolen was a bait and he himself was trapped in it. Later, he regretted for stealing the crofter’s money so much so that when Edia invited him for Christmas, he returned the stolen money to her.
Q10. What miracle did Edla perform in the peddler’s life? How? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Edla transformed the vagabond and gave him a positive outlook towards life. Edla’s compassion and selflessness gave the peddler the confidence. He now believed that goodness exists in the world. He wanted to stand up to her expectation of being a Captain and so, returned the stolen money. For the first time, he experienced genuine kindness.
Q11. When and how did the peddler realise that he had fallen into a rattrap? How could he get out of it? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The peddler realised that he must not walk on the public highway with the stolen money in his pocket. He went into the woods. He kept walking without coming to the end of the wood. Then he realised that he had fallen in the rattrap. He had let himself befooled by a bait and had been caught in. In order to come out of the trap he made rattraps of wire and went around selling them. He got material for making them by begging in the big stores or at big farms. Since his business was not quite profitable, he would beg or steal in order to survive.
Q12. How was the peddler received at the Ramsjé iron mill? Why did he decline the ironmaster’s invitation? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The workers at the ironmill were busy working at the hot furnace and no one reacted to the presence of the peddler. The peddler walked up to the furnace and lay close to it. The heat of the furnace gave out steam from his damp clothes. When the ironmaster arrived, he gave a close look to the peddler and mistook him to be an army comrade who had gone downhill in life. Thus, he insisted on taking the peddler home. The peddler knew that the master was mistaken and so, he refused. More so because he was afraid of being caught, having committed a theft. The peddler did not clear the ironmaster’s mistake because he thought that maybe the master would throw a cin or two at him for being his army comrade.
Q13. Give instances from the chapter, ‘The Rattrap’ to show that most of its characters are victims of loneliness. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is on human loneliness. All the characters, whether it is the peddler, the crofter, the ironmaster or his daughters, suffer from loneliness. The peddler is a lonely man who has always been shunned by society’s cold and unkind words. When he knocks at the door of the old crofter’s cottage he does not expect hospitality but the crofter welcomes him as he is too happy to get someone to talk to after being alone for so long. By serving the peddler the crofter is in fact serving himself. He serves the peddler with supper, gives him tobacco and plays ‘mjolis’ with him. He is a very good host. The ironmaster and his daughter too miss company and this makes them all the more lonely on the occasion of Christmas. So the ironmaster, who mistakes the peddler for his old regimental comrade, invites him to his manor house for Christmas. The ironmaster’s daughter, Edla, extends this invitation again and tells the peddler he can leave any time after Christmas. Thus the need to bond is the main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’.
Q14. How does the story, ‘The Rattrap’ show the redemptive power of love and compassion? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The story ends with the peddler’s redemption for his sin of committing theft. The peddler is moved by Edla’s compassion and kindness. He feels confident that goodness exists in the world. He wants to live up to Edla’s expectation of being a real-life army Captain. Thus, he return the stolen money as a redemption for his guilt. The story wants to convey the message that love and compassion can sensitize even the hardest of hearts.
Also see:
The Rattrap Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
The Rattrap Summary, Explanation
The Rattrap Character Sketches
Chapter 5 – Indigo
Q1. Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode as the turning point of his life because after this episode/ the peasants realized their rights and came out of the fear of British landlords. They also got 25% of their land tax as compensation money. This was also the beginning of the cultural, economic and social transformation of the peasants in India. The British were forced to leave the lands of the peasants and hence/ the peasants became the owner of their own lands.
Q2. Why did Gandhiji agree to 25 per cent refund to the peasants? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Gandhi agreed to the 25 percent refund because he opined that the amount was not important. When the sharecroppers had agreed to their liability, they had given away their prestige as well. This acceptance was more important. Now the peasants realized that they too had rights which gave them courage.
Q3. Why did Gandhiji not take C.F. Andrew’s help during the Champaran campaign? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Gandhi believed that by taking an Englishman by their side indicated their weakness. Indians had to be self-reliant and had to fight their own battle. Thus, he denied having C.F. Andrews by their side.
Q4. What made the Lieutenant Governor drop all charges against Gandhiji? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. When the British Lieutenant Governor saw the huge number of peasants who had gathered in support of Gandhiji, he dropped charges and released him. The British realised the strength of Indians because of their sheer number.
Q5. What did Gandhiji do about the social and cultural upliftment of the Champaran villages? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Gandhiji employed volunteer teachers for educating the villagers. His wife guided the women to better sanitation and living conditions. A doctor was appointed to improve the health conditions. Gandhiji wanted to uplift the poor peasants.
Q6. Why did Gandhiji not accept C.F. Andrews’ help during the Champaran movement? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Gandhiji did not accept C.F. Andrew’s help during Champaran movement because he thought that in having an Englishman on their side was not helpful or a fair fight. That would show the weakness of their heal He wanted Indians to be self-reliant in the struggle against injustice. He wanted Indian to rely upon themselves to win the battle.
Q7. What steps did Gandhiji take to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the rural areas of Champaran? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The social and cultural backwardness in the rural areas of Champaran caused Gandhi great pain. His appeal for teachers was responded to by several people. In about six villages, primary schools were opened. Gandhi’s wife and youngest son also came to Champaran to help him. Kasturba taught personal cleanliness and community sanitation to the people. Gandhi also managed to get the help of a doctor who with three medicines, tried to fight the miserable health conditions of Champaran.
Q8. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The Champaran episode was a pivotal moment in the independence struggle. Gandhiji decided to urge the British to leave India during the course of this small but significant movement.
A close examination of the Champaran peasants’ problems opened Gandhiji’s eyes to the British’s unjust policies. He realized that people had to be free of fear before they could be free of foreign oppression. The people’s spontaneous demonstration demonstrated that Gandhiji had the nation’s support in his fight against the British. It also instilled patriotism in the hearts of Indians. During the freedom movement, the victory of civil disobedience at Champaran motivated the large-scale launch of the movement. Gandhiji’s victory in the sharecroppers’ case demonstrated that British authority could be challenged. As a result, the Champaran incident served as a stepping stone in India’s struggle for independence.
Q9. What was the problem faced by the indigo cultivators of Champaran? How did Gandhiji solve it? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The indigo cultivators were bound by the landlords through ancient contracts which forced them to plant three twentieths or fifteen precent of their holding with indigo and surrender the entire harvest as rent. Now the landlords no longer required the indigo but they demanded a compensation from the peasants to release them from the contract. The peasants refused to pay compensation and were dragged to courts of law which were beyond the means of the peasants. They had to pay hefty fee to the lawyers which pushed them in debt. This was a troublesome issue for which a peasant named Raj Kumar Shukla sought Gandhiji’s help. Gandhiji collected information from various sources and discussed with the British officers. The landlords accepted to pay refunds of twenty five percent with which they parted with their prestige as well. Thus, the battle of Cham[paran was won.
Q10. Who was Raj Kumar Shukla? Why and how did he persuade Gandhiji to come to Champaran? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla was a poor peasant of Champaran. He wanted Gandhiji’s support and help to fight the injustice metted out to their lot. He visited Gandhiji at Lucknow at the December 1916 convention of Indian National Congress. Gandhiji had prior appointments fixed but Shukla accompanied him everywhere. Shukla was persistent and even followed Gandhiji to his ashram. Finally, Gandhiji asked him to meet him at Calcutta on a fixed date and take him along to Chaparan. Shukla was punctual and reached the spot before Gandhiji’s arrival. His tenacity was impressive and thus, he secured Gandhiji’s support for the cause of the peasants of Champaran.
Q11. How did the Champaran episode prove to be a turning point in India’s freedom struggle? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The Champaran episode proved to help the Indian Independence. Gandhiji took up a fight for the sharecroppers against the landlords. Rajkumar Shukla who told him about the injustice suffered by the sharecroppers took Gandhiji to Champaran. Gandhiji assessed the situation and understood that the landlords were forcing the sharecroppers to plant 15% of their holding with indigo and then give up the entire harvest to them as rent. Since Germany had come up with the concept of synthetic indigo, the price of the natural indigo fell. The landlords forced the sharecroppers to pay compensation. It was then that Gandhiji heard about the ill-treatment of a peasant. Gandhiji decided to look into the matter, but he received an official notice to leave Champaran and quit whatever he was doing there. Gandhiji fought against this injustice by telling the court that it was a conflict of duties and he had come to serve the peasant. In the end, he won his case against the cruel landlords and made them pay 25% of the money back to the sharecroppers. This movement emboldened the peasants and they got to know their rights. He made the British realize that Indians now have the courage to oppose injustice. This episode gave Gandhiji a clear direction to launch the freedom struggle. Thus, it was a turning point in the history of Indian freedom struggle.
Q12. Gandhiji said, “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” How does it become clear from the lesson `Indigo’ that freedom from fear is an essential condition for justice? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Gandhiji said that being fearless was more important than getting legal justice because the poor peasants had to be courageous to fight legal battles. They poverty-ridden peasants could not afford the hefty fee charged by the lawyers. Such a path for justice would never work in their favour because the scales were already tilted against them. Thus, to be on an equal standing, firstly, the peasants had to be free form fear. Then only would they get the courage to stand up for their rights and seek justice.
Q13. When and why did the author say that civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Gandhiji felt that Civil Disobedience had triumphed for the first time when he got the support of the notable lawyers of the area. On seeing that Gandhiji, being an outsider, was ready to go to jail for the cause of the peasants of Champaran, the local lawyers felt ashamed of themselves. They also decided to court arrest and follow Gandhiji to the jail. It was then that Gandhiji thought that Civil disobedience had won.
Also see:
Indigo Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Chapter 8 – Going Places
Q1. What is wrong with Jansie’s outlook on life? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Jansie is too pragmatic towards how she perceives things to be. She is not flexible about her dreams and believes that she will continue to be in the position that they currently live in. Jansie is realistic and constantly keeps Sophie’s day-dreaming in check.
Q2. Why did Jansie not approve of Sophie’s dream? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Jansie, being best friend of sophie did not want that sophie feel any problem by dreaming high since they were earmarked for the biscuit factory. Moreover they belonged to a small family where they had no right to even think bigger.
Q3. What do we know about the family life of Sophie? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Sophie belonged to a middle-class family. Her father did labour job and her mother, house wife did household chores. Her elder brother Geoff was a mechanic while the younger one, Derek, perhaps was a student. The father and the kids were football fans and every Saturday, made a pilgrimage to watch United team play.
Q4. How is Jansie wiser than Sophie? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Jansie is wiser than Sophie because she is practical. Jansie is realistic and knows their families have limitations. She does not day-dream like Sophie.
Q5. Sophie flits from one dream to another. What trait of her character is brought out by this action? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Sophie’s flitting from one dream to another reveals that she enjoyed living in her world of dreams which provided her the refuge that she needed from her middle- class reality. Sophie is an incurable escapist who does not want to come out of her dreamland.
Q6. What is your impression of Sophie’s brother Geoff? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Geoff is elder to Sophie and is an apprentice mechanic. He lives in his own world and hardly interacts with Sophie which makes him appear secretive. He is a football fan. He does not believe Sophie when she tells him that she had met Danny Casey.
Q7. Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a girl who lives in her dreams. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. It is a natural thing for teenagers to dream. It is a part of their life but sometimes these dreams are impractical and non-realistic and when they are shattered, they cause a lot of pain. In the story ‘Going Places’, the author has described the feelings and dreams of such a girl Sophie who was a school-going teenager. She was a day-dreamer who fantasizes her future life with Danny Casey, a football player from Ireland. She dreamt of having met him twice in the arcade. For her, he was the hero to be worshipped. She also thought of owning a boutique despite her weak financial status. She was blind to the bitter truth of life. She dreamt of an imaginary life, full of beautiful things. She also dreamt of becoming an actress as there was lot of money and fame in that profession. She wanted to be a fashion designer too. Overall, she wanted to lead a lavish and a grand life against which her father and friend Jansie had warned her. Her dreams were unrealistic in the sense that ultimately she would have to work in a biscuit factory as planned. She wanted to have the things which were impossible.
Q8. What was Sophie’s dream? How was it unrealistic? How was she different from Jansie? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Sophie dreamt of becoming a famous fashion designer. She wanted to own a boutique in the city like Mary Quant. It was unrealistic because following such career options required a lot of monetary investment which her family did not have. Sophie differed from Jansie because of her ambitions and far fetched ideas. Jansie was grounded and practical. She would present the reality to Sophie and would reprimand her for being impractical.
Q9. What did Sophie tell her father and her brother about her `meeting(s)’ with Danny Casey? How did each of them react? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Danny Casey was a young footballer who played for Ireland. Sophie considered him a hero whom she worshipped. She was always occupied with his thoughts. She told her brother Geoff that she had met Danny Casey in the arcade while she was looking at the clothes in Royce’s window. Casey came and stood by her. She recognized him and then they started talking. Then she asked for an autograph but neither of them had a pen or paper. She further told her brother that Danny’s eyes were green. He was gentle but was not very tall. When her brother told about this to their father, he didn’t believe in her story at all as he knew her habit of indulging in wild fantasies. His expression was one of disdain. He called this story as one of her many wild stories and warned her against them as they would land her in trouble.
Q10. It is not unusual for a lower middle class girl to dream big. How unrealistic were Sophie’s dreams? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Sophie was a middle class girl who had great aspirations. To achieve a glamorous and sophisticated life, she wanted to own a boutique after she finished school. She felt she could save the money by working as a manager, or maybe become an actress as there was real money in it. She was a romantic, who was far removed from reality. Sophie did not have a decent house to live in; her father worked hard to fend for the family and her brother was a mechanic. Her mother worked hard to do the household chores daily. But Sophie dreamt of doing something beyond all this and wanted to own a shop like Mary Quant, which would be the most amazing shop that the city had ever seen. She also longed to go to places she had never seen. These places lured her towards them because they were distant and mysterious. Sophie’s dreams would never come true as they were unrealistic and not laced with practicality.
Q11. What dream world does Sophie live in? How is Jansie different from her? [120 – 150 words]
OR
Both Sophie and Jansie belong to the same social background yet their attitudes are so very different. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Sophie lives in a dream world where she imagines to grow up and become a fashion designer. She desires her brother’s company and imagines him wearing shiny black leathers, herself in a yellow dress with a flowing cape, sitting on his bike, being greeted with applause. She wants acceptance from her father and brothers and in order to attract their attention, she cooks up a story of meeting the football star player Danny Casey.
Jansie is the opposite of Sophie. She is realistic and practical. She knows that they are destined to work at the biscuit factory. She request Sophie also to be realistic.
Also see:
Going Places Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Going Places Summary, Explanation
Going Places Character Sketches
Flamingo Book – Poems
Poem 1 – My Mother at Sixty Six
(A) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile ……
(i) Name the poet and the poem.
Ans. Kamala Das is the poet and the name of the poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six.’
(ii) What was the poet’s childhood fear ?
Ans. The poet’s childhood fear was that her mother would leave her alone and go away.
(iii) What is the poetic device used in lines 1- 2 ?
Ans. The poetic device used in lines 1-2 is simile.
(iv) Explain : ‘late winter’s moon’.
Ans. Late winter’s moon appears dull and hazy and it has no brightness. Similarly, poet’s mother also looks tired and lifeless.
(B) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young,
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes.
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. My Mother at Sixty Six by Kamla Das
(b) What thought did the poet put away?
Ans. The thought of her aging mother
(c) Why are the young trees described as sprinting?
Ans. When seen from a moving car, the trees by the roadside seem to be sprinting in the opposite direction.
(d) How do you know that the joyful scene did not help her drive away ‘that thought’ from her mind?
Ans. Again she mentions that however, after the security check at the airport, she again linked at her mother who appeared weak and pale like a winter’s moon.
Question Answers
Q1. What sort of pain does the poet feel in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. She feels a pain of losing her mother and being separated from her forever.
Q2. In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, the word ‘smile’ is repeated three times. What is its significance? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The poet repeats the work ‘smile’ to indicate her false smile behind which she treis to hide her pain.
Q3. What is the poet’s childhood fear? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The poet’s childhood fear in the poem, My Mother at Sixty-Six, is that of losing her mother’s company. Through the poem, the poet has tried to depict how the time is nearing. During this her fears will turn into reality, and this makes her feel unhappy and worried at the same time, for her mother has already moved into her old age and is nearing her last days. Her childhood fear appears to grip her again. When the poet sees the corpse-like and pale face of her mother, her ache or the old familiar pain returns. Perhaps this fear was entertained by her since her childhood.
Also see:
My Mother at Sixty Six Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
My Mother at Sixty Six Summary, Explanation
My Mother at Sixty Six Character Sketches
Poem 2 – Keeping Quiet
(A) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
(a) Name the poem and its poet.
Ans. Keeping Quiet by Pable Neruda.
(b) What does the Earth teach us?
Ans. The Earth teaches us that after being dead, things get a rebirth and the Earth becomes alive again.
(c) What does the poet want to achieve by counting up to twelve?
Ans. By counting upto twelve, the poet wants us to be still and think over our acts and their results. This will enable us to make better decisions for the future.
(d) Give an example of what now seems to be dead but later on becomes alive.
Ans. The Earth
(B) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
(a) Whom does the word `those’ refer to?
Ans. ‘Those’ refers to the policy makers of countries.
(b) What does the poet mean by : `put on clean clothes’?
Ans. Clean clothes is a metaphor to indicate a new, fresh outlook towards life.
(c) Describe the irony in the third line.
Ans. The irony is that if there is victory with no suvivors, then no one will acknowledge such a victory. Thus, such a triumph is useless.
(d) When can a person walk about with `their’ brothers?
Ans. A person can walk about with their brothers only when there is peace.
(C) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing.
(a) Who are ‘those’ in line 1?
Ans. ‘Those’ refers to the policy makers of countries.
(b) What are ‘green wars’?
Ans. ‘Green wars’ are acts of harming nature like pollution.
(c) Explain : ‘victory with no survivors’.
Ans. It means that a country may win a war at the cost of the lives of its soldiers. Such a victory is insignificant.
(d) What is the significance of : ‘put on clean clothes’?
Ans. It implies to get a new outlook towards life.
Question Answers
Q1. Give examples from ‘Keeping Quiet’ to show that Neruda was peace loving. [30 – 40 words]
Ans. We know that the poet Neruda is a peace- loving person through several instances in the poem. He cares for both humans and nature. In the poem, Neruda wishes that fishermen do not hunt whales, he wants the man who is collecting salt to stop for a while and see the self-harm it is doing and lastly, he wishes that people who run about indulging in wars, to stop what they are doing and instead, embrace peace with their brothers.
Q2. What does Neruda wish fishermen and warmongers to do? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Neruda is a lover of peace and non-violence. He wishes that the fishermen do not hunt the whales in the cold regions. He also wishes that the warmongers who normally indulge in wars and violence, walk with their brothers in some of their best clothes in the shade of trees, doing nothing.
Also see:
Keeping Quiet Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Keeping Quiet Summary, Explanation
Poem 3 – A Thing of Beauty
(A) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
(a) Name the poem and its poet.
Ans. A Thing of Beauty by John Keats.
(b) How does a thing of beauty remain a joy forever?
Ans. A thing of beauty remains a joy forever because it provides us pleasure, good health, sleep and binds us to this earth.
(c) Explain : ‘never pass into nothingness’.
Ans. It means that its importance will never end.
(d) How does the bower help us in our life? Give two examples.
Ans. The shady bower provides us good sleep, health, dreams and thus, nourishes us.
(B) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
(a) Which two qualities of beauty are mentioned here?
Ans. Joyous, lovely
(b) How does it give calm to a troubled mind?
Ans. It calms a troubled mind by providing sleep full of sweet dreams, good health and deep breathing.
(c) What does the word `bower’ mean?
Ans. A pleasant shady place under trees.
(d) How does beauty lead to ‘a sleep full of sweet dreams’?
Ans. A shady bower of trees is a beautiful creation of nature. The shade gives us nice sleep which is full of sweet dreams.
Question Answers
Q1. How does a thing of beauty bring joy in our lives? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The poet John Keats lists down various things of beauty. These beautiful creations of God provide humans with different blessings. He says that the shade of the trees provides good sleep, sweet dreams and thus, good health. The beautiful flowers like daffodils and roses remove the sadness from our lives. The Sun gives us energy while the moon’s beauty inspires us. Animals like the sheep provide us with wool and similar things. The rills of water are a cooling covert which quench our thirst. The tales of the brave men are sources of inspiration. All these beautiful things are like a fountain of a heavenly drink that pours onto humanity from the heaven above.
Also see:
A Thing of Beauty Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
A Thing of Beauty Summary, Explanation
Poem 5 – Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
Q1. What is Aunt Jennifer’s aim in life? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. She wants to live a free life. She seeks fearlessness. She wants to move out of the oppressed life enforced upon her through the wedlock. These desires are depicted through the free and fearless tigers embroidered by her.
Q2. Why did Aunt Jennifer decide to create animals so different from her own character? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Tigers are a symbol of strength. They are fearless and confident. Aunt Jennifer years for freedom from a male dominated society. She wants to be free and fearless like the tigers in the forests, and therefore she creates images of the bright topaz tigers.
Q3. How do symbols in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ help us understand her plight? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The poet uses various symbols to show Aunt Jennifer’s plight. Firstly the tigers that she is embroidering are a symbol of fearlessness. The tigers show her desire to live freely. The wedding ring that sits heavily on her hand is a symbol of the marital obligations which are a constant pressure on her mind. Her activity of doing embroidery is a woman’s hobby which indicates her desire to live away from her dominating husband.
Q4. Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character?
Ans. These animals, the tigers, reflect Aunt’s desire of living a fearless, free life. Her character has been undermined by her husband but the tigers reflect her true character.
Q5. How are Aunt Jennifer and the tigers created by her different from each other in their attitudes? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Aunt is scared of her husband while the tigers are not afraid of the men standing under the tree. The aunt lacks confidence and her fingers flutter while pulling the needle while the tigers prance across the forest with chivalric certainty. The aunt will remain bound by the marital obligations even after her death while the tigers will go on prancing across the forest forever.
Also see:
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary, Explanation
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Character Sketches
Vistas Book
Chapter 2 – The Tiger King
Q1. Why did the Maharaja decide to double the land tax in a hillside village? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The Maharaja decided to double the land tax for a village when he was not able to locate the tiger in the forest suggested by the villagers. This had infuriated and frustrated the Maharaja.
Q2. Why did the Maharaja decide to get married? [30 – 40 words]
OR
How did the Tiger King’s marriage bring him closer to his target?
Ans. The king had killed seventy tigers but the tiger population in his kingdom exhausted. Thus, he decided to get married into a kingdom which had a high tiger population and complete his target of killing a hundred tigers.
Q3. What made the chief astrologer place his finger on his nose? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The Chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose because he was astonished when he heard the ten-day-old royal infant uttering the words so clearly in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer took off his spectacles and gazed intently at the baby in sheer surprise.
Q4. How was the hundredth tiger made available to the king? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The Dewan had brought a tiger from the People’s Park in Madras and kept it hidden in his house. When the Maharaja threatened him with dire consequences, he understood that the only way to save himself was to ‘plant’ a tiger for the kill.
Q5. Who actually killed the hundredth tiger in ‘The Tiger King’? Why? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Ironically, the hundredth tiger is not killed by the Tiger King. He does drop down after he is shot by the Maharaja, but he only faints from the bullet shot. The hunters then wonder what they should do. They realize if the Maharaja came to know this they could lose their jobs. So one of the hunters takes aim and shoots the tiger.
Q6. What great miracle did the ten-day-old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur perform? How did it affect the people who listened to him? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The 10-day old infant spoke to the astrologers regarding their prediction about his death. This stupefied everyone. The chief astrologer took off his spectacles and stared at the baby. He put his finger on his nose in wonder that a ten day baby was speaking and raising intelligent questions.
Q7. How did the Tiger King ‘manage to kill’ the hundredth tiger? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The Tiger King had already killed Ninety-nine tigers and only one tiger was left and if he could kill just one more, he would have no fears left. But now it became impossible to locate tigers anywhere. The king sank into gloom but soon came the happy news about a tiger seen in the nearby village in his own state. He announced a three year exemption from all the taxes to the village in his excitement. He set out for hunt and managed to kill the hundredth tiger in the village.
Q8. Describe the efforts made by the Tiger King to achieve his target of killing a hundred tigers. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The Tiger King vowed to kill a hundred tigers. First he started killing the beasts in his kngdom. Everyone was under a ban on tiger hunting except the king. He even refused the durai from hunting which put his throne in danger and he had to gift diamond rings to the duraisani to save it. He married into a kingdom with a high tiger population so that he could achieve his target. The hundredth tiger was arranged by his Dewan when he saw the king’s desperation on not being able to find his prey. Thus, there was a lot of effort undertaken to achieve the target of killing a hundred tigers.
Also see:
The Tiger King Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
The Tiger King Summary, Explanation
The Tiger King Character Sketches
Chapter 4 – The Enemy
Q1. How did the writer indicate that Dr. Sadao’s father was a very traditional and conventional man? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Dr. Sadao’s father was a very traditional and conventional man. He was a gentle and quiet person who never joked or played with his son. Sadao’s education was his chief concern. He bestowed infinite pains upon Sadao, who was his only son. He was strict but a caring and loving father. He considered arranged marriage the best and believed in the purity of race.
Q2. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent abroad with the troops during the war? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The General was ill and required Dr Sadao’s treatment. So he did not send him to the battlefield.
Q3. How did Dr. Sadao and his wife face the situation after their servants left them? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Dr Sadao treated the wounded enemy soldier because his duty as a doctor made him save a life. His wife helped him because the servants had refused to assist and he could not have done the task all by himself. Thus, Hana, being a dutiful wife, helped her husband.
Q4. How did Dr. Sadao perform his duty as a patriotic Japanese? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Dr Sadao’s duty as a patriotic Japanese demanded that he should inform the police about the presence of the enemy soldier in his house. Accordingly, he told the General everything about the enemy soldier to perform his duty as a patriotic Japanese.
Q5. What was Hana’s role in Dr. Sadao’s life when he brought home an injured American soldier? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. When Dr. Sadao brought an injured American soldier to his home, Hana played a crucial role. On the humanitarian ground, she nursed the soldier herself when she got no cooperation from her maid. She did all the household work herself gracefully. She washed the soldier’s wound and fed him, which indicates her respect and obedience towards her husband. She did whatever Dr. Sadao asked her to do during the operation.
Q6. Why was the General apologetic when Sadao told him that the prisoner had escaped? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The General believed that Sadao was indispensable to his life as none were as skilled as Dr. Sadao. When Sadao told him about the prisoner who had escaped, he was apologetic as he had forgotten about his promise of sending assassins to kill the enemy, that he made to Sadao, in his greed and selfish needs.
Q7. What dilemma did Sadao and his wife face when they saw the wounded American soldier? [30 – 40 words]
Ans.They were in a dilemma to save the life of an injured soldier or toleave the wounded enemy to die.
Q8. Apart from treating a fellow human being, for what other reason did Dr. Sadao decide to operate on the wounded American soldier? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Dr Sadao’s professional ethics as a doctor motivated him to treat the injured soldier.
Q9. Explain the reaction of Dr. Sadao’s servants when he decided to give shelter to an enemy in the house. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The servants did not support the idea of sheltering an enemy soldier. They loved their country and moreover, feared being caught by the police. Yumi the governess flatly refused to wash the white man. Her face was stubborn and fierce with resistance. She left the Sadao’s household to protest their act of treating the man. Even the cook and the gardener who had been serving the Hoki’s from Sadao’s father’s time left the house as a mark of protest. They did not want to support a ‘traitor’.
Q10. ‘The Enemy’ portrays the victory of humanity in a moment of crisis. Illustrate this fact through the actions taken by Dr. Sadao for the enemy soldier. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The efforts made by Dr. Sadao to save the American soldier who gets washed by the sea to his doorstep portray the victory of humanity in a moment of crisis. Dr. Sadao rises over narrow prejudices of race and country to help a human being in need. Being a doctor, his priority is to save a dying man even though he belongs to the enemy camp. Basic human goodness overpowers Dr. Sadao and he helps the wounded soldier first by operating on him and saving his life and thereafter by arranging his safe escape. As a doctor, his foremost duty was to save a dying man so he put aside all the other options and respected the ethics of his profession thereby justifying the victory of humanity when one is in a dilemma.
Also see:
The Enemy Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
The Enemy Summary, Explanation
Chapter 5 – On the face of it
Q1. “It ate my face up. It ate me up.” Who said these words? Why? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Derry said these words. He wanted to talk about his burned face which led to a low self esteem in him.
Q2. Why did Derry refuse to believe what his mother said against Mr. Lamb? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Derry refused to believe his mother because his experience with Mr Lamb had been different.
Q3. Why does Mr. Lamb say to Derry, “So you are not lost, are you? Not altogether? ” [30 – 40 words]
Ans. He tries to awaken Derry and convey to him that there are many other aspects of his life other than the burned face.
Q4. Why did Derry’s mother not want him to visit Mr. Lamb? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. She is protective about Derry and so, does not want him to meet strangers.
Q5. Mr. Lamb and Derry were both suffering from similar problems. Comment. [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Both of them suffered from physical disabilities which could lead to a lack pof self esteem. Derry’s half face got burned with acid while Mr Lamb lost a leg in the war.
Q6. How is the Derry we meet at the beginning different from the Derry at the end? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Derry at the beginning of the story is a very negative person and because of his ugly appearance, hides away from the crowds. He believes that the acid has eaten his skin and him alive. He feels that he doesn’t need any second chance to live. However, Derry at the end of the story is more optimistic and practical. He decides to live happily by being friendlier with people.
Q7. Derry and Mr. Lamb both are victims of physical impairment, but their attitudes towards life are completely different. Elaborate. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Derry suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious that his face is ‘bad’, ‘terrible’ and ‘the ugliest thing’. People are ‘afraid’ of him. He tries to escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. He is withdrawn and defiant. He thinks that no one will ever love and kiss him except his own mother.
On the other hand, Lamb accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards life, things and people. He doesn’t find solace in escapism. Children tease him by calling him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ but he doesn’t mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the war. But he is full of life and enjoys it. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and growing weeds and flowers. Yet Lamb despite his brave front does feel lonely at times. While Derry openly talks about his alienation, Lamb has schooled himself to remain positive.
Q8. “Things that matter. Things nobody else has ever said. Things I want to think about.” What are the ‘things’ that Derry is referring to? How did Derry’s chance meeting with Mr. Lamb prove meaningful for him? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. A remarkable change is seen in Derry’s perception and attitude towards life after meeting Mr. Lamb. He says to his mother that Mr. Lamb had spoken to him about things that no one else had talked to him about. The ‘things’ that Derry refers to are Mr. Lamb’s words of wisdom and his healing touch which inspire him (Derry) to shed his inferiority complex.
Mr. Lamb is an elderly gentleman who suffers from a physical handicap. He has a tin leg because his leg had been blown off in the war. The children tease him by calling him “Lamey Lamb” but he does not mind it.
Derry suffers from an acute sense of self-hatred and rejection because of his burnt face. He feels he is very ugly and so no one will love him. Mr. Lamb too has heard Derry only complain and bemoan about himself. He feels very sad to see a fourteen year old boy giving up on life just because of his physical disability. Mr. Lamb at first startles Derry with his strange talk. He tells Derry he is interested in everything created by God. His encouraging words have a magical effect on Derry. Mr. Lamb’s conversation that everyone and everything is essentially the same, the notion of beauty is relative and his concept of the world and friendship baffle but appeal to Derry and he is fascinated by the old man.
Mr. Lamb inspires Derry by telling him not to focus on the shortcomings of life and his handicap and instead he should try to enjoy the blessings of life. He tells him to be thankful to God for two arms, two legs, two eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain and advises him to be friendly with everyone around him. Derry’s long conversation with Mr. Lamb helps him overcome his inferiority complex and poor self-esteem.
Also see:
On the Face of It Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
On the Face of It Summary, Explanation
On the Face of It Character Sketches
Chapter 6 – Memories of childhood (Part 1 – The Cutting of My Long Hair Zitkala-Sa)
Q1. Why did Zitkala-Sa oppose tooth and nail the shingling of her long hair? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Zitkala-Sa opposed tooth and nail the shingling of her long hair because she remembered her mother’s words. Her mother told her that shingling of the hair was done to the prisoners of the war. In their culture, only mourners and cowards kept short hair.
Q2. Why did Zitkala-Sa resist the shingling of her hair? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Zitkala-Sa had learned from her mother that hair shingling was done only to unskilled captured warriors by the enemy. In her family, short hair was considered to be a sign of mourning and cowardice.
Q3. What light does Zitkala-Sa’s resistance to the shingling of her hair throw on her character? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. This shows her confidence and courage. Zitkala-sa was not a coward and would not accept things lying down.
Q4. What frantic efforts did Zitkala-Sa make to save her hair from being cut? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. She had been taught by her mother that cowards and unskilled warriors caught by the enemy got their hair cut. Thus, cut hair was a symbol of cowardice and thus, she rebeled. She his in a dark corner under the bed. When dragged out, she resisted by kicking and scratching. She cried and shook her head while her hair was being cut.
Q5. Why did Zitkala-Sa resist the cutting of her hair? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. Zitkala-Sa resisted the cutting of her hair because her mother had taught her that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners and shingled hair by cowards.
Q6. “Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities.” Elaborate with the help of the account written by Zitkala-Sa in ‘Memories of Childhood’. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was taken from her family and forcibly shifted to a residential school. At the dining room she saw other Indian girls wearing stiff shoes and closely clinging dresses. While eating by formula was already overwhelming for little Zitkala, her hardest trial came later on when her friend Judewin, who knew some English words, told her that their long, heavy hair was to be shingled. Her mother had told her that only the unskilled warriors who were captured by the enemy tribe or the mourners had their hair shingled. To Zitkala, this was unacceptable. But when she tried to hide from the authorities and was later found out, she was dragged out by her hair and despite the resistance her hair, the symbol of her free spirit, was gnawed off. Ever since she was taken from her mother, the little girl was stared at, tossed around like a puppet and now her long hair was shingled like a coward.
Q7. Both Hama and Zitkala-Sa face difficult situations in their lives. Describe how they face these situations. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Bama’s experience is based on the evil ridden caste-system in India. Where the poor are exploited and the low caste people are forced to face the racial discriminations by the hands of the upper class people. The girl is deeply shocked, troubled, tensed and provoked on seeing untouchability by the people of high caste. The people of low caste bow and work for their masters. They have to carry a food packet by the thread without touching it. Her brother Annan inspires and advises her to work hard to attain quality. She acts upon his advice and people start coming to her of their own accord.
The old woman Zitkala. So faces humiliation and discrimination through the writes since they force her to follow their own culture, tradition and rituals, etc. She is overpowered to single out her hair. She severely resists and wants to maintain the dignify of her community but she is made a little animal driven by a harder. This is a very shameless act of racial discrimination, untouchability and oppression of marginalised communities. They fight and raise their voice against this social evil and get triumph.
Also see:
Memories of Childhood (Part 1) Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Memories of Childhood (Part 1) Summary, Explanation
Memories of Childhood (Part 1) MCQs
Memories of Childhood (Part 1) Character Sketches
Chapter 6 – Memories of childhood (Part 2 – We Too Are Human Beings)
Q1. How did Annan’s advice to his sister Bama impact her? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The bond between Annan and Bama is strong and influential. Annan’s words have a profound impact on Bama, suggesting that she deeply respects and values his guidance and wisdom.
Q2. Why did Bama stroll in the market place instead of hurrying back home? Describe the sights she enjoyed seeing there. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Bama stopped at the market place because she was surprised and excited to watch all the fun and games that were going on, different exhibitions, entertaining novelties and oddities in the streets, the shops and the bazaar. She took thirty minutes walking home from her school when she could have covered the distance in just ten minutes. The performance by the monkey and the snake charmer; the cyclist who had not got off his bike for three days, and who kept pedaling as hard as he could from break day; the rupee notes that were pinned on to his shirt to spur him on; the spinning wheels; the Maariyaata temple, the huge bell hanging there; the Pongal offerings being cooked in front of the temple; the dried fish stall by the statue of Gandhi; the sweet stall, the stall selling fried snacks, and all the other shops next to each other; the changing colour of street lights from blue to violet, clay beads, instruments for cleaning ears-all these things attracted her and kept her standing still for long.
Also see:
Memories of Childhood (Part 2) Important Questions, NCERT Solutions, Extra Questions
Memories of Childhood (Part 2) Summary, Explanation
Memories of Childhood (Part 2) MCQs
Memories of Childhood (Part 2) Character Sketches