Updated on 25/02/2022
Chapter-1 The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet)
Short Type Questions
Q.1 What did Franz
notice that was unusual about school that day?
Ans. Franz notice that there was usually a lot of noises when
the school began. But today scene was totally different. There was no noise, no
hustle and bustle. Everything was as still as Sunday morning.
Q.2 What had been put
up on the bulletin-board?
Ans. When Franz came in the school, he saw a big crowd in
front of bulletin-board and read notice which wrote that is an order from
Berlin. It said that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine. The new teachers were coming the next day.
Q.3 How did Franz feel
about M. Hamel and school?
Ans. Franz was shocked when he heard that Mr. Hamel was
leaving the school for ever. His feelings now changed altogether. He cursed
himself for not learning his lesson. He forgot all about Mr. Hamel ruler and
his cranky nature.
Q. 4 How did M. Hamel
bid farewell to his students and the villagers?
Ans. The church clock stuck twelve. It was time to close to
school. He was stood up and tried to speak something, but he could not speak.
He only took a piece of chalk and wrote on board, ‘Vive La France’ (Long Live
France).
Q.5 Why was Franz
afraid of?
Ans. Franz was very late for school that day. He was afraid
because the teacher was to ask questions on participles and he didn’t know a
single word about them.
Q.6 What was the effect
of M. Hamel’s announcement on the narrator?
Ans. When Mr. Hamel told the children that this is his last
French lesson. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher was coming the next day. Franz
was sad that he would never see Mr. Hamel again. Now Franz became very
attentive to learn French language.
Q.7 What was the
temptation and how did Franz resist it?
Ans. Franz was afraid because the teacher was to ask
questions on participles and he didn’t know a single word about them. So he
decided to run away and spend the out. Open fields, the chirping of birds and
the Prussian soldiers drilling were more attractive than the participles. But
he resists to himself and decided to go to the school.
Q.8 What kind of
clothes was M. Hamel wearing? Why had he put on that fine dress?
Ans. He was wearing his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and black silk cap. He wore those clothes only on inspection and prize days. But today he was wearing these clothes in honour of the last lesson.
2. Lost
Spring- Stories of Stolen Childhood (Anees Jung)
Short Type Questions
1. Who is Saheb? What was his full name? What was the irony about his name?
Ans. Saheb is a ragpicker. His full name is
Saheb-e-Alam. It means lord of universe. But the poor boy has not even shoes to
wear. He earns his living by scrounging the dumps of garbage. Thus there was deep irony about his
name.
2. What is Saheb
looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
Ans. Saheb is a ragpicker. He
scrounges the garbage dumps for bits of paper, rags, plastic items, etc. These
are gold for him. He
makes his living by selling these things. He is living in Seemapuri (Delhi). He has come from Dhaka
(Bangladesh)
3. How does the author
describe the area of Seemapuri?
Ans. The ragpickers of Seemapuri live in dirty conditions on
the periphery of Delhi. Those who live here are Bangladeshis. They lead
a life of misery and poverty. They came here in 1971 from Bangladesh. Their houses are made of mud
with roof of tin. They all are ragpickers. There is no sewerage or
draining system.
4. What was Saheb
wearing one morning? Where did he get it?
Ans. Saheb was wearing tennis shoes which were given by a
rich boy; because there was a hole in the shoes. For Saheb who had walked
barefoot, even these shoes were as a dream came true.
5. Is Saheb happy
working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Ans. No, Saheb is not happy there. Saheb
has left rag-picking and now working at a tea-stall. He gets Rs. 800 and meals. But he is
no longer his own master. Because now he is working for another master.
6. Who was Mukesh? What
was his aim in life?
Ans.
Mukesh belonged to a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. He
was one of the 20,000 young people who were engaged in bangle-making. He did not like the life of a bangle maker. He
wanted to be a motor mechanic. He dreams of driving a car one day.
7. What makes the city
of Firozabad famous?
Ans. Firozabad is famous for its bangle industry. Every
family here is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India glass
blowing industry. It makes bangles for all the women of land.
8. Mention the hazards
of working in the glass bangles industry.
Ans.
Workers have to work in very high temperatures in the glass bangles industry.
They work in dark cells without air and light. They don’t get any daylight.
Thus they had lost the brightness of their eyes. The dust from polishing
the glass bangles makes the bangle makers blind.
9. Who is Savita? What
she is doing? What does the writer wonder about?
Ans. Savita is a young girl. She is soldering pieces of
glass. Her hands are moving mechanically. The writer wonders if she knows the
sanctity of the bangles, she is making. They symbolize an Indian woman’s
Suhaag.
3. ‘Deep Water’ (William Douglas)
OR
What misadventure took place when Douglas
was ten or eleven year old?
Ans. William Douglas
speaks about the ‘misadventure’ that he experienced at the YMCA swimming pool.
Once there came a big boy on the pool when he was alone there. The boy picked
up the author and threw him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas went once to
the bottom, he feared to be drowned. However,, some people saved him. This is the misadventure,
he speaks about.
Q. 2 Why was Douglas
determined to get over his fear of water?
Ans. The fear of water hunted Douglas for many years.
Whenever he tried to enter water, the fear seized him. It ruined all his joy of
boating, fishing and swimming. That is why he was determined to get over his
fear of water.
Q. 3 How Douglas make
sure that he conquered the old terror?
Ans. Douglas learnt how to swim. But whenever he was alone in
the pool, the signs of the old terror would return. He wanted to get rid from
that fear. So he went to Lake Wentworth. He swam there for two miles. Thus, he
conquered his fear of water.
Q. 4 What did the
author’s mother tell him about Yakima river?
Ans. When he was ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn
swimming. The Yakima River flowing through the writer’s state where he could
learn swimming. But it was very dangerous river. The writer’s mother told him
about the various drowning accident in it.
Ans. The instructor had done his job. He made Douglas a
perfect swimmer. However, Douglas was not sure of himself. So he went to Lake
Wentworth. He swam for two hours across the Lake. Only once did the terror
return. But it soon fled and he swam on. At last, he had overcome his fear of
water.
Q. 6 Why did Douglas
think that the YMCA pool was safe?
Ans. Douglas wanted to learn swimming. He decided to learn
swimming in the YMCA pool. He felt that the YMCA pool was safe. Because it was
only two or three feet deep in the beginning. And It was only nine feet deep at
the other end.
Q. 7 What did Douglas
plan to do when the big boy threw him into the pool?
Ans. When the big boy threw him into the pool then he made a
plan that when his feet touch the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the
surface, he flat on the surface. After that he would paddle to the edge of the pool.
4. The Rattrap (Selma Lagerlof)
Short Type Q-Ans.
Q. 1 From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Ans. One day the peddler was going along the road. He was thinking of his rattrap. He thought that the world is also like a rattrap. A rat is caught in the rattrap when it is lured by the bait. In the same way the world existed only to set baits for people. The world offers its riches, joys, shelter, food and clothing to man just to trap him.
Q. 2 What made the peddler think he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Ans. The peddler had stolen the thirty kronor of the crofter. In order to avoid being caught, he did not walk along the main road. He took a forest way. In the meantime, the night fell and there was darkness over the forest. He forgot the way and he was confused where to go. This money was bait that had trapped him. Now he thought that the world was indeed a rattrap.
Q. 3 Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invited him home?
Ans. The ironmaster saw the peddler in the dim light of the furnace. He mistook the peddler for his an old friend. He thought that his old friend was passing through bad days. Therefore, he invited him to his house to help him in his evil days.
Q. 4 When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Ans. The ironmaster had seen the peddler in the dim light of the furnace. As a result, his face was not clearly visible. He mistook the peddler for an old friend. But when he saw the peddler well groomed in the broad daylight, he realised that he had made a mistake about him. He was not his friend.
Q. 5 How did the peddler steal the old crofter money?
Ans. The peddler knew where the crofter had kept his thirty Kronor. As soon as they left the cottage, the peddler came back. He smashed the windowpane and took out the money from the leather pouch and hung the pouch back.
Q. 6 Why did the peddler take his way through the forest?
Ans. The peddler had the crofter’s stolen money in his pocket. He was afraid that he would be chased and caught If he went by the highway. That is why he took his way through the forest.
Q. 7 What present did the peddler leave for Edla? What did he write in his letter to him?
Ans. The servant told Edla that the peddler had left a little package for her. She found a small rattrap in the package. Inside the package there were three ten Kronor notes and a letter. In his letter he thanked her for being so nice to him as if he was really a captain. He did not want her to be troubled with a thief on Christmas. He requested her to return the money to the old crofter. He wrote that the rattrap was a Christmas present for her.
5. Indigo (Louis Fischer)
Short Type Q-Ans.
1. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor farmer of Champaran. He wanted that Gandhiji should help the poor peasants of his area. He wanted to fix a date of Gandhiji visit to Champaran. Gandhiji was busy at that time. He had many appointments. But Rajkumar Shukla accompanied Gandhiji everywhere. He waited till Gandhiji was free. He did not leave Gandhiji side until he fixed the date. Thus Rajkumar Shukla was resolute man.
2. Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers?
Ans. The landlords had agreed to surrender a part of their money. Gandhiji thought that the amount of refund was less important. It was really a moral victory for the farmers. Gandhiji proved too wise for them. He at once ended deadlock by accepting what the planters wanted. The British had to surrender part of their money and also their prestige. That is why, Gandhiji agreed to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers.
3. How did the episode change the plight of the peasants?
Ans. This episode changed the condition of the peasants of Champaran. The Peasants now gained courage. They saw that they had defenders of their rights. One by one the British planters left their estates. These estates came back to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared for ever.
4. Where did Rajkumar Shukla go to meet Gandhiji and why?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla was a poor peasant from Champaran. He went to meet Gandhiji at Lucknow. He wanted him to come to Champaran and help the poor share croppers.
5. Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning point in his life?
Ans. This episode proved that the British could not give order to Gandhiji in his own country. They ordered him to leave Champaran, but he refused. At this Gandhiji was summoned to appear before the court. But he presented his case forcefully. At last, the government had to drop the case.
6. How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhiji fought a long battle for the poor peasants of Champaran. At last, after one year he was able to get justice for them. Gandhiji worked on the social level also. He arranged of education, health and hygiene for the poor peasants and for their families.
7. How was the condition of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. The condition of the sharecroppers was very bad. They were feared to grow Indigo. They were very poor and illiterate. There were no good sources of food and other things. They were living in miserable condition. They were no so educated so they did not know more about cleanliness and sanitation. Gandhiji motivated them about cleanliness and sanitation. Gandhiji also taught them a lesson about self-reliance.
8. Why do you think the servants thought Gandhiji to be another peasant ?
Ans. In Patna, Rajkumar Shukla took Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who later became the first President of India. At that time Rajendra Prasad was not at home. The servants knew Rajkumar as he often visited. So they thought that Gandhiji was also a peasant.
9. Who was Louis Fischer? What did Gandhiji tell him?
Ans. Louis Fischer was an American writer. He was friend and follower of Gandhiji. In 1942, he visited Gandhiji at his ashram in Sevagram. Gandhiji told him how in 1917, he decided to fight against the British officers.
10. Why did thousand of peasants come to Motihari?
Ans. The police ordered Gandhiji to leave Champaran at once. But Gandhiji disobeyed that order. He telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with his friends. The farmers came to know that Gandhiji was in trouble. So, the next morning a large number of farmers came to Motihari