English ( Moments ) for Class 9

Supplementary Reader ‘Moments’ consists of a short story named The Beggar. This is a story of a poor drunkard beggar named Lushkoff who was provided work by Sergie, an advocate. Let’s see some Short & Long Answer Questions of the chapter.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What was the name of the beggar?
Ans: The name of the beggar was Lushkoff.

Q2: Who did Lushkoff beg from?
Ans: Lushkoff begged from Sergei.

Q3: What was Sergei’s profession?
Ans: Sergei was an advocate.

Q4: What did Sergei remember about the beggar on seeing him?
Ans: Sergei remembered that he had seen him a couple of days before in Sadovya street.

Q5: What work did Sergei offer the beggar?
Ans: He offered the beggar the work of chopping wood.

Q6: Who was Olga?
Ans: Olga was a maid-servant at Sergei’s home.

Q7: What did Sergei give Lushkoff after the wood was chopped?
Ans: He gave him half a rouble.

Q8: When did Lushkoff use to visit Sergei’s home?
Ans: Lushkoff used to visit Sergei’s home on the first of every month.

Q9: Where did Sergei meet Lushkoff after an interval of two years?
Ans: Sergei met Lushkoff at the ticket window of a theatre.

Q10: What did Lushkoff tell Sergei about his profession when he met him after two years?
Ans: He told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: How did Sergei recognise the beggar?

Ans: Sergei looked at the beggar. His face appeared familiar to him. He tried to recollect where he had seen him. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the beggar’s shoes. One shoe was high and the other was low. Now he clearly remembered where he had seen the beggar before. He had seen the beggar in Sadovya Street.

Q2: The beggar was a liar. What two lies did he tell Sergei?

Ans: Two lies told by begger to Sergei were:

• When the beggar met Sergei for the first time, he told him that he was a student and had been expelled from the college. 
• When he met Sergei, for the second time, he told him that he had been offered a position in Kaluga, but he had no money for the fare to get there.

Q3: What kind of work was given to Lushkoff initially? Why did he agree to do it?
Ans: Sergei refused to give alms to Lushkolf, the beggar, instead offered to give him work. He took him home and gave him the work of chopping wood. 

Lushkoff agreed to do this work, not because he was hungry and scanted work. He agreed to do it because of pride and shame and because he had been trapped by his own words.

Q4: How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Ans: In the beginning, Olga treated Lushkoff callously. She called him a drunkard. She rebuked him. Then she would sit before him and grow sad. She looked into his face and wept. Then she chopped wood for him.  She did so because she felt pity for him. Secondly, she wanted to put him on the right path.

Q5: Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did he give him?
Ans: Sergei wanted to give Lushkoff better, cleaner employment. His friend needed a copywriter. As Lushkoff was able to write, so Sergei sent him to his friend. Sergei advised him to work hard and not to drink. He asked him not to forget his advice.

Q6: Where did Sergei see Lushkoff after two years? What work was he doing then?
Ans: One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month.

Q7: Was Lushkoff not good at chopping wood?
Ans: No, Lushkoff was not good at chopping wood. He pulled a piece of wood towards him, put it between his legs, and hit the wood feebly with the axe. The piece of wood became unsteady and fell down. He again pulled it and struck it. The piece of wood again fell down. This shows that Lushkoff did not know how to chop wood.

Q8: Write a brief character sketch of Olga.

Ans: Olga was the maidservant of Sergei. She was stem-looking, but she was kind at heart. She rebuked Lushkoff. But then she took pity on him as he was weak and hungry. She did the chopping work for Lushkoff. Olga’s kindness had a great effect on Lushkoff. He gave up drinking and started taking interest in work. Thus Olga’s kindness saved Lushkoff’s life. 

Q9: What plea does Lushkoff make to Sergei when he appears at his yard?
Ans: Lushkoff pleads to Sergei to have pity on him. He says that he has not eaten anything for three days and does not have five copecks for lodging. He further tells Sergei that he had been a village school teacher for eight years and had lost his job due to scheming and lies.

Q10: Describe the physical appearance of Lushkoff when Sergei observes him in his yard.
Ans: Sergei observed Lushkoff closely when the latter came to his yard asking for alms. At that time, Lushkoff had a ragged appearance. He had worn a fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes were dull and drunken. There was a red spot on either cheek. He looked every bit a disgusting beggar.

Q11: Why does Lushkoff want to go to Kaluga?
Ans: Lushkoff wants to go to Kaluga because he claims that he has an offer of a position in this province, after having lived without work for nearly a year. However, he cannot go there because he does not have any money.

Q12: Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Ans: Lushkoff has become a beggar not by choice but by circumstance. He was a singer in a Russian choir but was sent away for his drunkenness. Alcoholism had made him weak and he could not toil, so he took to begging for survival.

Q13: Why was the beggar taken aback when Sergei asked if he remembered having met him earlier?
Ans: The beggar was taken aback because he knew that his lies were going to be caught soon. The repercussions of extracting money by exploiting the sympathy of people could be very harsh for him. He could even be handed over to the police.

Q14: What reason does Lushkoff give Sergei for telling lies? 
Ans: Lushkoff tells Sergei that he was telling lies because no one would help him if he told the truth about his drunkenness. Instead, lies helped him get both sympathy and money that he required desperately to keep himself alive.

Q15: Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Ans: Luskhoff is not a willing worker since alcohol has made him very weak, both physically and emotionally. Still, he agrees to do the menial job of chopping wood because of his pride and shame. Earlier he had expressed his willingness to do any work provided he was offered one and now he could not go back on his words.

Q16: Who was Olga? What task did Sergei assign to her?
Ans: Olga was Sergei’s cook. She appeared to be ill-tempered but eventually played an instrumental role in reforming Lushkoff with her words and noble deeds. Sergei told her to take Lushkoff to the woodshed and make him chop wood for them.

Q17: How did Lushkoff follow Olga to the woodshed? What did this reveal about his willingness to work?
Ans: Lushkoff followed Olga in a gait that showed his reluctance to work. It was obvious that his strength had been destroyed by ‘vodka’ and he was too weak to do any type of hard physical labour.

Q18: Why did Sergei hurry into the dining room? What did he see from there?
Ans: Sergei hurried into the dining room because he wanted to check the beggar’s behaviour while chopping wood. He saw both Olga and Lushkoff walking towards the shed. He also saw Olga’s expression of wrath towards the beggar and the manner in which he struggled to chop wood in the acute cold.

Q19: Who was the ‘pseudo teacher and why did he sit on a log?
Ans: The ‘pseudo teacher was the beggar Lushkoff. He sat on a log, lost in his thought as his frail health did not allow him to undertake the hard task of chopping wood but he could not get away from it either.

Q20: How did Sergei feel after he saw Lushkoff chopping wood?
Ans: Sergei didn’t feel angry anymore after he saw Lushkoff chopping wood. Instead, he felt a little sorry and ashamed at having given the tough task of wood-chopping to Lushkoff who seemed to him a spoiled, drunkard and probably a sick man. It was difficult for him to do such a menial task in the severe cold.

Q21: What remuneration was paid to Lushkoff for chopping wood for the first time? What additional offer was made at this time?
Ans: Sergei paid a rouble as remuneration to the beggar for chopping wood and instructed Olga to tell him that if he wanted, he could come back and chop wood on the first day of each month.

Q22: When and why did Sergei hire Lushkoff? How did he appear at this time?
Ans: Sergei hired Lushkoff when he moved into another house. He hired him to help in packing and hauling the furniture. This time Lushkoff appeared sober but gloomy and silent.

Q23: Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Ans: Sergei says so because Lushkoff looked sober and seemed to have helped in the packing and hauling of furniture. He is partially right in saying this because his constant support had at least given Lushkoff an option to quit his disgusting life as a beggar

Q24: What revelation was made by Lushkoff to Sergei at the theatre?
Ans: Lushkoff revealed to Sergei that he did not chop even a single stick of wood at his yard. All the toil was done by the good and noble cook, Olga, who tried to help him and underwent misery and shed tears for his sake.

Q25: “Thank you, too”. Why does Lushkoff say this to Sergei?
Ans: Lushkoff says this to Sergei because although Olga was the one who had actually reformed him but Sergei’s contribution too was important. He had taken interest in the life of a disgusting beggar and helped him drag himself out of the mess he was in.

Q26: How and why did Sergei express his pleasure before parting from Lushkoff?
Ans: Sergei expressed his pleasure by tapping Lushkoff gently on the shoulder and shaking hands with him at parting. He expressed pleasure in this manner because he was convinced that the beggar was now a reformed person and deserved respect and honour.

Q27: How did Sergei help Lushkoff to live respectfully?
Ans: Sergei helped Lushkoff to live respectfully by giving him odd jobs every time he came to the yard. Now Lushkoff did not need to beg alms since he got money for all the little tasks that he was given by Sergei. Lastly, Sergei sent Lushkoff to his friend with a letter of recommendation for cleaner employment as a copier.

Q28: Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this? 
Ans: Lushkoff is obliged to Sergei for earning thirty-five roubles a month because the latter had paved the way for this achievement. He had recommended Lushkoff to his friend and arranged the job of a copier for him.

Q29: Why did Sergei call Lushkoff his ‘godson’?
Ans: Sergei called Lushkoff his ‘godson’ because he had given him a push along the right path and his efforts had lifted him out of the pit of begging. He had shown interest in Lushkoff’s life and had felt happy to see him reformed.

Q30: Who does Lushkoff give the credit for reforming him? Why?
Ans: Lushkoff is grateful to Sergei for employment but he gives true credit for his reformation to Olga, Sergei’s cook. Outwardly Olga is full of anger and spite, but her heart is full of human sympathy and kindness. While she severely scolds Lushkoff for being a miserable drunkard, she weeps for him and chops wood for him. She is the chief reason why Lushkoff gives up his bad habits and transforms into a hardworking man.

Also Check at EduRev: 

• The Beggar (Q and A) 
• Character Sketches – The Beggar 

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the first meeting between Sergei and Lushkoff. How did Sergei take pity on Lushkofl?

Ans: One day, advocate Sergei met a beggar dressed in very shabby clothes. The beggar was crying and asked Sergei to have mercy on him. He said he had a job offer in Katuga but didn’t have money for the fare, so he needed some money. Sergei looked at him closely and suddenly remembered seeing him the day before on Sadovya Street. Then, the beggar had claimed he was a student expelled for not paying his fees.

At first, the beggar denied this accusation. But after Sergei scolded him, he admitted that he survived by lying. He said his name was Lushkoff and that he was out of work. Sergei refused to give him money but offered him work chopping wood instead. He brought Lushkoff home and told his maid, Olga, to take him to the woodshed to chop some wood. Sergei watched from a room and saw that Lushkoff was weak and unwilling to do the work. However, after an hour, Olga told Sergei that the wood had been chopped. Sergei then gave Lushkoff half a rouble.

Q2: Sergei brought Lushkoff home to get some wood chopped. flow did he help Afterthought?

Ans:  Lushkoff chopped the wood, Sergei felt happy that he had helped someone in need. He believed he had managed to reform a beggar. Sergei told Lushkoff that he could come on the first of every month to chop wood for money. So, Lushkoff came every month, even though he was very weak and could barely stand. There was always work for him to do, and he did it. Sometimes, he chopped wood.

Other times, he shoveled snow, organized the woodshed, or beat the dust out of mattresses and rugs. Each time, he was paid between twenty to forty kopecks. One day, when Sergei moved to a new house, he hired Lushkoff to help with packing and moving furniture. During this time, Lushkoff was quiet and serious. After the job was done, Sergei offered to help Lushkoff find a better job. He wrote a letter of recommendation to a friend and gave it to Lushkoff, telling him it would help him get a job copying documents. Sergei felt satisfied, believing he had helped Lushkoff get on the right track in life.

Q3: Describe the last meeting between Sergei and Luslikoff. How did Olga help Lushkoff to be a real man?

Ans: Two years later, Sergei saw Lushkoff at a theater, buying a ticket. Lushkoff was dressed in a coat with a fur collar and a sealskin hat. Sergei recognized him and learned that Lushkoff was now a notary, earning thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei was happy for him and congratulated him on his success. However, Lushkoff revealed that it wasn’t Sergei but his maidservant, Olga, who had helped him change. When he used to come to chop wood, he couldn’t do it because he was weak and unskilled. Olga felt sorry for him and did the chopping for him. Lushkoff admitted that he never chopped any wood himself; it was all Olga’s doing. Her kindness inspired him to stop drinking and start working hard to earn a living. Thus, it was Olga’s kindness that changed his life.

Q4: During their conversation, Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?

Ans: Olga, Sergei’s seemingly ill-tempered cook, had been the main motivating factor behind Lushkoff’s positive change. She saved him by rousing the positivity in him that had got suppressed due to his alcoholism. She scolded him, cursed him but also shed tears for him and suffered misery for his sake.

Outwardly she expressed disgust for Lushkoff but went out of her way to help him reform himself. She risked the displeasure of her master, Sergei, by hiding the truth about the odd jobs assigned to Lushk off. She gave true humane affection to him and showed both pity and concern. Her affection is exhibited by the fact that she chops wood for him so that he can earn some money to feed himself and stay alive. It is Olga’s sincere and selfless efforts that finally give Lushk off a lease of life. Lushk off too remembers her with gratitude for her kind words and her noble deeds.

Very Short Answer Type Important QuestionsQ1: How was the author’s first year in High School?
Ans: The author’s first year in high school was marked by an awkward transition.

Q2: What did the author notice one Sunday afternoon?
Ans: One Sunday afternoon, the author noticed smoke seeping in through the ceiling seams.

Q3: What did the author’s mother carry out of the house first of all?
Ans:  In the midst of the chaos, the author’s mother rushed out of the house with a small metal box containing important documents.

Q4: What had happened to the author’s father?
Ans:  The author’s father had passed away when he was young.

Q5: Why did the author’s mother run into the house for the second time?
Ans: The author’s mother went back inside the burning house to retrieve her husband’s letters and pictures.

Q6: Who stopped the author to run into the house?
Ans: The author was prevented from entering the house by a firefighter.

Q7: What was the author worried about after the fire tragedy?
Ans: After the fire tragedy, the author’s greatest concern was the whereabouts of his missing cat.

Q8: Where did the author and his mother spend their night after the fire tragedy? 
Ans: The author and his mother spent the night after the fire at his grandparents’ house.

Q9: Why did they have to borrow money?
Ans: They had to borrow money since their credit cards, cash, and identification were destroyed in the fire.

Q10: How did the students help the author at school?
Ans: The author’s classmates showed support by collecting money to help him purchase school supplies, clothing, and other necessities.

Short Answer Questions

Q1: Why did Zan feel awkward and isolated during his first year of high school?
Ans: Zan’s position during his first year of high school as the junior most class made him feel awkward. The big size of the new school and the separation from his closest friends made him feel isolated.

Q2: Why did the author miss his old teachers?
Ans: The author missed his old teachers because they would encourage him to get involved in school activities so that he could meet new people. They also assured him that he would soon adjust to his new school. Their affection, warmth, and cooperation in making him feel special made the author miss them.

Q3: What kind of day it was when a fire broke out in the author’s house? What were the author and his cat doing at that time?
Ans: It was a Sunday afternoon of a cold and windy winter when the fire broke out. The author was at the dining-room table doing homework with the fire burning in the fireplace. His red tabby cat was lying over his papers, purring loudly and sometimes swatting at his pen.

Q4: What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do? 
Ans: One Sunday afternoon, the author smelled something strange and noticed smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling of his house. His mother reacted promptly and the two of them ran out into the front yard. However, she ran back into the house and brought out a small metal box full of important documents.

Q5: What happened to the narrator’s mother when she had run into the burning house?
Ans: The author’s mother inhaled a little smoke when she ran into the burning house. She was rescued by the firemen who put an oxygen mask on her after bringing her out. However, she was fine soon.

Q6: How did Zan’s mother save important documents from the burning house?
Ans: Zan’s mother saved important documents from the burning house by courageously rushing inside the house on fire and bringing out a small metal box that contained those documents. She thus risked her life but eventually succeeded in her mission.

Q7: Why did Zan try to run after his mother and why did the fireman hold him back?
Ans: Zan tried to run after his mother because he was afraid of losing her. He was afraid that she might get burnt in the fire. The fireman held him back because Zan’s act was very rash and illogical. the lie could not have saved his mother and would have risked his life as well.

Q8: When did the author realise that his cat was missing?
Ans: After five hours of a raging fire that burnt down the author’s house almost completely, he realised that his cat was missing. He had not seen her all this while and realised to his horror that she was nowhere to be found.

Q9: Why does the narrator say, “I was suffering loss, big time”?
Ans: The author feels that he was suffering loss, big time because he had lost his old dear school and teachers, he had lost his house to the fire, and now he had lost his dear cat whom he loved dearly.

Q10: In what condition does the author go to school after the fire incident?
Ans: After the fire incident, the author goes to school wearing the dress that he had worn to church on Sunday morning and the tennis shoes that he had borrowed from his aunt. His shoes, clothes, books, homework, and backpack had been destroyed in the fire.

Q11: Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?
Ans: The author is embarrassed because he feels that his appearance is weird without uniform, books and a backpack. His fear and insecurity are shown by the words: “Was I destined to be an outcast and geek all my life?”.

Q12: Why did the author dislike growing up?
Ans: The author disliked growing up because he felt that growing up had brought so many losses with it. He had lost his old school, his friends, his house and most of all his dear pet cat.

Q13: What is surreal? Why does the author feel that everything was surreal?
Ans: Surreal means something strange or unreal. The author felt that everything was surreal because too many unfortunate things had happened to him – his house was burnt down, his cat was lost, his mother was left with no money and he had no books, shoes, clothes and school uniform. His secure zone had been ripped away suddenly and the changes were too much and too many for him to handle.

Q14: What was the extent of the damage caused by the fire?
Ans: All belongings except photo albums, documents and some personal items had got burnt in the fire. Whatever remained had been destroyed by the water and chemicals that had been used to put out the fire.

Q15: Why did Zan’s mother have to borrow money from his grandparents?
Ans: Zan’s mother had to borrow money from his grandparents because her credit cards, cash and even identification that was needed to draw money from the bank had gotten burnt up in the fire. She had to rent a new place, buy new clothes for Zan and resettle quickly. She did not have time to wait for the recovery of her lost documents till then.

Q16: Why did the narrator go over to his burnt house even though they had rented an apartment nearby?
Ans: The narrator went over to his burnt house even though they had rented an apartment nearby because he hoped that his cat would be found somewhere. He would watch the clearing away of the debris expecting to see his cat.

Q17: How and why were people acting stranger than usual at Zan’s school?
Ans: When Zan was getting ready for gym class at his locker, people were gathering around him asking him to hurry up. This was stranger than usual as they almost seemed to shove him into the gym. They behaved so because they had put up a surprise collection of school supplies and clothes etc for Zan in the gym.

Q18: Why was the author overcome by emotions when he got help from his schoolmates?
Ans: The author was overcome by emotions when he got help from his schoolmates because they had gone out of their way to bring him the things he needed. He was touched by their genuine outpouring of concern.

Q19: When does the author say “It was like Christmas”? Why?
Ans: The author says this when he gets inside the gym to see the surprise load of school supplies and different clothes on the big table only for him. This seemed like Christmas because these assorted gifts were similar to the surprise gifts that one gets from loved ones on Christmas.

Q20: Why was it different for Zan to see his house getting rebuilt? How did the fire help him?
Ans: It was different to see his house getting rebuilt because Zan wasn’t alone this time. Two of his new friends from school were with him. The fire had helped him by diverting his mind away from his feelings of insecurity. He now opened up to the wonderful people around.

Q21: How did the author’s feelings of loss and tragedy seem to diminish?
Ans:  The author felt gratitude for life, his new friends, the kindness of the woman who had rescued his cat, and certainly for the life of his beautiful cat. This gratitude diminished his feelings of loss and tragedy.

Q22: Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?
Ans: The author was full of remorse as he was left with nothing. He didn’t have proper dress and study material. He had no backpack. He had a feeling of insecurity. All things appeared strange to him. He was shocked deeply and seemed frustrated. The words uttered by him “Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life? I didn’t want to grow up, change or have to handle life, if it was going to be this way. I just wanted to curl up and die”. These words reveal his fear and insecurity.

Q23: What was the author’s mother doing on a Sunday afternoon?
Ans: It was blowing cold on that Sunday afternoon. And the author was doing homework at the dining table. His mother was fuelling the fire at the fireplace to keep the room warm.

 Q24: Which three things made the author’s house a home?
Ans: The fire tragedy changed the author’s life. He was so depressed that he did not want to grow up and wanted to die. But his reunion with his cat, his new friends in the school and his new house made his house ‘a home’ where he could live.

Q25: Why did the author, Zan, love his cat so much?
Ans: He had a pet cat which was his constant companion and source of entertainment. He was fond of her and could never think of living away from her. He had a special bond with her because he had rescued her when she was a small kitten.

Long Answer QuestionsQ1: The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story?
Ans: The red tabby cat had been rescued by the author when she was a helpless kitten. She would never be far from him and knew that he was the one responsible for giving her a good life. He would get up early in the morning and teasingly disturb her. She would then tag along after him, climb up his robe and crawl into his pocket to fall asleep. Zan loved her so much that he would allow the cat to sit over his papers and swat at his pen while he did his homework. He missed her terribly after losing her and would go over to watch the clearing of debris with the hope to find her somewhere. When she was restored back to Zan, the cat purred as happily as the author felt elated to get her back. Even the woman who rescued the cat knew that she was loved and sorely missed.

Q2: What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?
Or
What role did Zan’s school play in normalising his life after the fire accident?
Ans: After the loss of all his belongings in the fire that ravaged his house, Zan, the narrator, started feeling depressed and embarrassed. At this time, the friendly and helpful actions of his schoolmates changed his understanding of life and people and comforted him emotionally. His schoolmates took up a collection and bought him school supplies, notebooks, and all kinds of clothes – jeans, tops, and sweats. Those who had never spoken to him before came up to him and introduced themselves. Many invited him to their houses. Their genuine concern touched Zan. He felt relieved and began to believe that everything would be okay. He stopped focussing on his feelings of insecurity and opened up to all the wonderful people around him. The company of his new friends and sharing joys with them made his loneliness vanish and reconnected him to live.

Q3: What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back? 
Ans: Zan’s cat was brought back home after more than a month of absence. She had run away due to fear of fire and could not be brought back early as her collar had those phone numbers that had got disconnected due to the fire. Zan too was back to his normal cheerful life. His absence was emotional unlike the physical absence of his cat. Zan says that he is also back since he wants to point out the return of his faith in the goodness of life. He had drifted away from joys of friendship and comfort of familiarity on moving to a new school. By the time his cat returned, his gratitude for life had also returned in the company of new friends.

Q4: Describe the fire tragedy that struck Zan’s house?
Ans:  What was stoked to keep the house nice and warm, triggered a major fire break out that turned Zan’s house to cinders and left him and his mother devastated.
At first, Zan only smelled something strange but soon noticed smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The smoke filled the room quickly and Zan and his mother could barely see. Somehow, they groped their way to the front door and ran out into the front yard.
No sooner had they made their way outside than the whole roof was engulfed in flames, and the fire spread quickly. Zan ran to his neighbours to call the fire department and his mother ran back into the house and soon came out carrying a small metal box full of important documents. She rushed back into the house to retrieve his husband’s pictures and letters – the only things she had to remember him by.
Zan tried to run after her but was stopped by a fireman. The fire truck had already arrived and was busy dousing the fire. Some firefighters ran into the house and safely brought out Zan’s mother and gave her an oxygen mask because she had inhaled smoke.
It took five hours to finally put out the fire but the house was almost completely burnt and there was the sign of Zan’s pet cat. Zan feared that she was burnt alive.

Q5: What values in Zan’s mother endeared him to her? Zan’s mother was his sole support after the death of his father. She carried out her responsibilities as a single parent with complete devotion. Zan loved her a lot and obeyed all that she
Ans:  asked him to do because he respected her for her value of devotion towards him. He willingly changed school and tried to adjust to the new environment because he knew his mother was doing everything for his good. She valued memories and knew the significance of the letters and pictures of her late husband. She risked her life to recover these things and thus displayed the value of courage. Her son, Zan, acknowledged this value when he evaluated the few things that could be saved from the fire, all because of his mother’s courage. She possessed the value of emotional strength and hence quickly brought back normalcy to Zan’s life by sending him to school the next day after the fire incident. Zan admired her because of her positive values both as a mother and as a human being. That is why he rushed after her to save her from the fire, without worrying about his own safety, because he did not want to lose her at any cost.

Also Check at EduRev

• Character Sketch – A House is Not a Home
• Summary: A House is not a Home

Q6: Describe the author’s experience at school after the fire tragedy.
Ans: The author had just joined a new school. He was facing a big problem to make himself fit in the new school. Just after a couple of days in his house caught fire. His school bag and shoes had burnt in a fire.
The next day he went to school. He was around school like a wanderer. Everything appeared to him strange. He did not know what was going to happen him. He returned home with a broken heart. He was experiencing terrible developments in his life.
The next day when he went to school; he found a strange atmosphere all around. People were getting together all around him. They had collected money for him and arranged school supplies and clothing for him. This changed his vision for life once again.

Q7: How is a Home different from a House? Explain with reference to the lesson ‘A House Is Not a Home’.
Ans: Life without love is not life. Human relationship is based on love. The title itself indicates it clearly that a house is not a home without love. The author had to face adverse circumstances in his life. He was a fatherless boy. He led a satisfactory life with his old friends and teachers. But when he changed his schools, he could not adjust to the new environment. He felt alienated. Later, his house caught fire and he lost all the things including his cat. He started feeling dejected and isolated. Life had no interest in him anymore. He started building a new house. But it was not home, as a house is a home only when there is love and happiness. The author did not have any attachment to the new house. His reunion with his cat, his new friends, and the new house made his house a home.

Very Short Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two artists.

Q2. What happened to Johnsy?
Ans: Johnsy became severely ill in November.

Q3. What fear did Johnsy have in her mind?
Ans: Johnsy had a fear in her mind that she would pass away on the day when the last leaf on the creeper fell.

Q4. Why was the doctor confused about Johnsy’s illness?
Ans: The doctor was perplexed because none of the medicines were proving effective on Johnsy’s illness.

Q5. What was happening to the leaves on the creeper outside Johnsy’s window?
Ans: The leaves were falling due to the combination of extreme cold and strong wind outside Johnsy’s window.

Q6. Who was Behrman?
Ans. Behrman was an old painter.

Q7. What did Behrman do?
Ans: Behrman painted a picture of a creeper with a single leaf on the wall.

Q8. What happened to Behrman?
Ans: Behrman passed away due to pneumonia.

Q9. Who saved Johnsy’s life?
Ans: Behrman, the old painter, saved Johnsy’s life.

Q10. What was Behrman’s masterpiece?
Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the painting of a creeper with a single leaf on it.

Short Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they live?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were young artist friends who were struggling to establish themselves in the world of art. Both lived in a small flat which was on the third floor of an old house. They shared this place. 

Q2. Why was Sue worried when Johnsy got sick?
Ans: Sue was worried because Johnsy was lying in bed without moving and only staring out the window. Although Johnsy had pneumonia, which could be cured, her condition was not improving. This made Sue concerned about Johnsy’s health.

Q3. Why was Johnsy’s condition worrisome according to the doctor?
Ans: According to the doctor, Johnsy’s condition was worrisome because she did not show any signs of improvement despite good treatment. He thought that perhaps she had lost her will to live and no medicine could help her in this negative state of mind.

Q4. How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling leaves?
Ans: It was autumn and the ivy creeper leaves were falling gradually. This depressed an already ill Johnsy and strangely enough, she associated her falling health with the leaves. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell. 

Q5. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her?
Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her. She also moved her drawing board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness.

Q6. How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness?
Ans: Sue helped Johnsy by looking after all her needs. She would give her hot soup from time to time and sit by her side and talk to her. She called the doctor and even sought help from their neighbour Behrman.

Q7. Why was Johnsy counting backwards while looking out of the window?
Ans: Johnsy kept looking out of the window and counted backwards to note the number of leaves left on the ivy creeper. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell whereas the leaves were falling in a normal process of nature during the autumn season.

Q8. What quality of friendship do you find in Sue as a friend? 
Ans: Sue was a loving and earing friend of Johnsy. She was her best friend as Sue always provided her with mental support. When her friend was obsessed with the thought of dying with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, she tried to look at the positive side of things. She always convinced her friend to think positively and never think about death. Obviously, she represents true friendships and sacrifice in the story.

Q9. How did Sue try to convince Johnsy that her belief about dying with the last leaf was nonsense?
Ans: Sue immediately rubbished Johnsy’s belief as nonsense. She tried to convince her by telling her that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q10. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her painting?
Ans: Sue sought this promise because she did not want Johnsy to go deeper into the depression on see the ivy leaves fall. Moreover, she could not even pull the curtains to stop Johnsy from looking out as she needed the incoming light to complete her painting and get money for the two of them by selling it.

Q11. Who was Behrman? Why did Sue share her worry with him?
Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building as Sue and Johnsy. Sue shared her worry with him because Behrman was an elderly person and his vast experience of life could be of great help.

Q12. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true? (Textual)
Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece someday. His dream did come true when he painted a leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s ambition too. Unfortunately, it cost him his life.

Q13. ‘I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue?
Ans: Johnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall. She believed that she would die with it but this was taking too long. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Q14. What did Sue and Behrman see from the window of the room next to Johnsy’s?
Ans: Sue and Behrman saw that only one leaf was left on the ivy creeper that was fluttering in the icy cold wind accompanied by heavy rain. Under such conditions, it was bound to fall anytime soon.

Q15. Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm?
Ans: Sue was nervous because she was certain that the last leaf had fallen at night. This could make Johnsy quit all hope of survival as she had associated her death with the falling leaves of the ivy creeper.

Q16. What made Sue exclaim about looking out of the window on the morning after the storm?
Ans: Sue exclaimed in amazement and delight because the last leaf was still there on the ivy creeper. She pointed out to Johnsy that the leaf looked quite green and healthy. It had not fallen despite the fierce winds and rain. This meant that Johnsy, too, could recover.

Q17. What revived Johnsy’s will to live?
Ans: Johnsy had developed a superstition that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. A severe attack of pneumonia had left her mind morbid. When she saw the last leaf surviving after the windy wet night, her will to live revived. It made her realise that it was really a sin to want to die.

Q18. When did Johnsy realize her mistake?
Ans: When Johnsy saw the last leaf intact, she admitted that Sue had looked after her so lovingly and she, in turn, had been a bad, wicked, gloomy, and non-cooperative girl. She had now realized that it was a sin to want to die.

Q19. When and why was the doctor’s report encouraging about Johnsy’s condition?
Ans: The doctor gave an encouraging report about Johnsy’s condition after examining her in the afternoon a day after the storm. He believed that the report was encouraging because now Johnsy had regained her will to live.

Q20. What news about Behrman did the doctor convey to Sue when he came to examine Johnsy?
Ans: When the doctor came to examine Johnsy, he told Sue that Behrman, too, was suffering from pneumonia. He said that he was confident of Johnsy’s recovery but feared that there was no hope for Behrman.

Q21. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death?
Ans: Behrman died because he had spent the entire stormy night painting a replica of the last leaf on the ivy creeper and had caught pneumonia as a result. He did this to save Johnsy’s life. He did not want her to see the creeper without its last leaf and lose the will to live

Q22. Which items were found near Behrman when he died? What did this signify?
Ans: A ladder and a lighted lantern were found near Behrman’s bed when he died. There were also some brushes and green and yellow AT paints on the floor near the ladder. This signified that the last green and fresh leaf had been painted by Behrman all through the stormy night.

Q23. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (Textual)
Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the leaf that he painted on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window. He had braved icy winds and rains at night while painting the leaf. Sue called it a masterpiece as it was green and healthy like a real leaf. Besides, it saved Johnsy’; life by reviving her will to live. Thus, Behrman’s painting was a masterpiece in the sense that it saved a precious life and was able to be an artist.

Q24. What saved Johnsy’s life? 
Ans: The last half of the painting created by Behrman on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window saved her life. This leaf was a perfect imitation of the last leaf hanging on the ivy creeper. Johnsy believed it to be a real leaf, which made her realise that wanting to die was a sin and that she had been foolish for thinking she would die when the last leaf fell.

Q25. “It looks quite green and healthy”. What was the cause of the leaf’s colour and freshness?
Ans: The last leaf on the ivy creeper looked quite green and healthy because it was not a real leaf, but a painted one. Behrman had painted it overnight to help save Johnsy’s life.

Q26. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window?
Ans: Johnsy frequently looked out of the window because there was a creeper on the wall opposite her. She believed that she would die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. As it was autumn, the leaves were falling, which made her anxious. This is why she kept gazing out of the window.

Q27. How did Sue try to keep Johnsy cheerful?
Ans: The doctor had said that Johnsy’s chances of recovery were only one out of ten. Sue became sad and cried bitterly. But she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. So she entered her room, whistling a cheerful tune.

Q28. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy?
Ans: Behrman reacted negatively to Johnsy’s belief that she would die when the last leaf fell. He considered her thoughts to be nonsense and questioned her foolishness. Behrman expressed concern for her well-being, stating that she should not entertain such absurd ideas.

Q29. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same?
Ans: Johnsy got a fancy that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. But, Sue considered it a foolish idea. She said that there could be no relationship between the last leaf and somebody’s life.  

Q30. How did old Behrman die?
Ans: Behrman knew about Johnsy’s fancy about the falling leaves. He went out in the cold and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. l le caught pneumonia and died.

Q31. How did Johnsy realize her mistake?
Ans: Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia and believed she would die when the last leaf fell from the creeper outside her window. One night, only one leaf remained, and she felt certain it would fall, taking her life with it. However, that night, Behrman painted a leaf in its place, ensuring it stayed on the vine. This act made Johnsy realise that it was a sin to wish for death. She understood that she had been foolish in her thoughts and decided to fight for her life.

Q32. What kind of a friend was Sue to Johnsy?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were close friends. Both were painters. Apart from that, their tastes and views were similar. They lived in the same small flat. When Johnsy suffered from pneumonia, Sue looked after her with love and care. It was largely because of her care that Johnsy’s life was saved.

Q33. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived.
Ans: The artists’ colony grew in the old village named Greenwich. It was to the west of Washington Square., Its streets were winding. These streets had strange angles and curves.

Q34. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on, she suffered from a misconception that she would die as soon as the last leaf on the creeper fell. The medicine did not affect her. Her willingness to live could only cure her.

Q35. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? 
Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take it. Nowadays, it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-throat competition. On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further.

Also Check at EduRev: 

• Summary: The Last Leaf
• Character Sketches – The Last Leaf

Long Answer Type Important Questions

Q1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy suffered an attack of pneumonia in the cold winter month of November. Her illness made her so weak that she went into depression. She would lie still on her bed and keep gazing out of the window. The autumn added to her gloom when she saw the trees shedding leaves. She began to associate her death with the falling leaves and this negative thought deteriorated her health. When she gave up all hope in life, she refused to eat anything and medicines lost their effect. According to the doctor, her recovery depended on her willingness to live. In the absence of determination to get well soon, even the medicines failed to affect positively. 

Q2. Sue is a true and faithful friend. Comment.
Ans: Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat. When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health. She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition. She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend.
She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy. She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behaviour very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and her optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help. Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend.

Q3. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans: Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers. It is so because, like Johnsy, they, too, lack emotional maturity. They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are. Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations. They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failure. It becomes a vicious cycle, and their weak health aggravates emotional instability. Pessimism begins to destroy their willpower.
Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced. They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot. The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted.  Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong willpower, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body.

Q4. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life?
Ans: Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art. “The Last Leaf” is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young, depressed woman. Johnsy’s illness was serious but could be cured if she had the will to live. Her falling health was more due to her state of depression than pneumonia. The sixty-year-old painter Behrman took upon himself the difficult responsibility of saving Johnsy. He made a single-handed effort to brave the icy winds and rain to reach the window by climbing a ladder and finally painting a fresh and green leaf that looked natural and real. The readiness with which he gave up his life shows art’s unparalleled commitment to talent. He painted the leaf with such passion that it revived the sinking breath of Johnsy. He thus saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing his own.

Q5. Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia. His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health. As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude.
Ans:-
(Date)
2-111 Floor Ivy Apartments
London
Dear Mr. Behrman
Trust your health is improving with each day. Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot. We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbour and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis.  Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me. You are a very brave person and a true artist. Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realize that my whims were utterly senseless.
Your life is an inspiration for young people like me. I have learned from you that the worthiest thing is being alive. I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again. Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces.
With warm regards
Johnsy

Q6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life.
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girl artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony. Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the I y creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take an interest in life and wish to live. Only then could she be saved. Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was a failure in art. For forty years, he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started h. He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall. He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf. The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall: Her will to live returned. Her life was saved. But Behrman caught pneumonia and died. Thus, he sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece.

Q7. In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune. Why?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio is in an artists’ colony. One day, Johnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened. Shhaedloasitctihnet will live. One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological too. She did not want to live. In such a condition, no medicine could work. If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten. When Sue heard this, she felt very sad. She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment, she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling. Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy.

Q8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing?
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls. They had a joint studio. They loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. Johnsy could see it through her window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy. Behrman was a painter. He painted a leaf on the wall when the last leaf fell. This saved Johnsy’s life. Thus, Sue played an important role in saving Johnsy’s life.

Q9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman.
Ans: Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece. But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart. When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in the rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus, Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

Q10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf ‘.
Ans: This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day, Johnny caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter, came to know of this fancy of Johnsy. The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night, Hellman painted a leaf on the wall. It looked like a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story. So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.

Q11. Draw a brief character sketch of Sue. 
Ans: She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Lear. She is an artist girl. She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at heart. She has the qualities of a true friend. Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia. Sue nurses her with love and care. She works day and night to earn enough money. With this money, she buys medicines and a good diet for her friend. She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery. Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls. She tries her best to cheer her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells of John’s fancy of old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl. She is a true friend.

Q12. Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive. Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy.
Ans: The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice. He was a poor old artist. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece. Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves. One day, Sue found her whispering this. Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition. It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural. But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting. Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice.

Q13. Johnsy felt her survival was related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us.
Ans: Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia. She was highly depressed and lay in bed looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves. She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state.

Q14. Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy. Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend.
Ans: Sue and Johnsy were good friends. Both of them were artists. They loved each other and shared the same room. One day, Johnsy fell ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instil in her a desire to live a happy life. She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness. When her condition started deteriorating, she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition. Behrman took it seriously. He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life. So, Sue succeeds in saving her life.

Q15. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? 
Ans: A friend plays a very important role in one’s life. A true friend supports one in every step. A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story,
In “The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia, she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feelings. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window. She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper fell. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learned Johnsy’s foolish belief. She shared her concern with Behrman. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf. Sue helped Johnsy to recover. She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed.

Q16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? 
Ans: The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape. Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper.

Q17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life. 
Ans: Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends. They were artists. She was suffering from pneumonia. Her friend Sue looked after her. She loved her very much. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had regular check-ups. But there was no improvement in her condition. Her condition went from bad to worse. Both the doctor and Sue were worried. Later on, it was found that she was depressed. In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm, gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her but in vain. She had lost her will to live. In this mental condition, only God could save her.

Q18. The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist. Do you agree?
Ans: Firm determination and strong willpower are the tools of success in life. A person who has a firm determination and strong willpower can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses such a person with success. In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong willpower that help a patient, Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy, who felt dejected and depressed, had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy. But Behrman and Sue brought her out of this fanciful idea and convinced her that there was no relationship between her life and the falling of a leaf. Gradually, with the efforts of Sue and Behrman, she regained willpower, and thus her willingness to live saved her.

Very Short Answer Type Important Questions 

Q1. When did the cyclone hit Orissa ?
Ans. The cyclone hit Orissa on 27 October 1999.

Q2. Where was Prashant when the cyclone hit Orissa?
Ans. At that time he was in a small coastal town of Orissa, some eighteen kilometres from his village.

Q3. What was the name of Prashant’s village?
Ans. The name of his village was Kalikuda.

Q4. Who met Prashant on his way back to the village? 
Ans. He met two friends of his uncle on his way back to the village.

Q5. What had Prashant to push away on his way back to the village?
Ans. Prashant had to push away many human bodies, and carcasses of dogs, cattle and goats.

Q6. How did Prashant find his house when he reached his village?
Ans. He found only the remnants of the roof of his house.

Q7. What did Prashant found about children in the relief camp?
Ans. Prashant found that a large number of children had been orphaned.

Q8. How have the people of the community helped one another?
Ans. The people of the community helped one another with great co-operation.

Q9. How did Prashant feel when he reached his village?
Ans. His heart went cold when he reached his village.

Q10. How did Prashant travel back to his village from Ersama?
Ans. Prashant travelled on foot and swimming through the deep water back to his village.

Q11. How did people receive food in Prashant’s village?
Ans. Food packets were dropped by helicopters.

Short Answer Type Questions  (30 to 40 words)

Q1. Where were Prashant and his friends during the two days of the super cyclone? What did they live on? Where did they get their ‘food’ from?
Ans. The rainwater was entering the house during the super cyclone. So, Prashant and his friend’s family remained on the roof of the house for two days. Two coconut trees had fallen on the roof of the house. Prashant and his friend’s family lived on them. They got their food from these tender coconuts.

Q2. (i) Why was it difficult for Prashant to travel back to his village?
Ans. There was water everywhere. He had to use his stick to locate the road. At some places, it was waist deep and the progress was slow. Sometimes, he lost the road and had to swim. After some distance, he found two friends of his uncle. They decided to move ahead together. They had to push away many human bodies floating on the water.

(ii) “His heart went cold’ when he reached his village. Why?
Ans. At last Prashant reached his village Kalikuda. His heart sank. His house was gone. His family was nowhere. In order to look for his family, Prashant went to the Red Cross Shelter. Fortunately, his family was alive. They were very glad to see Prashant. He came to know that eighty-six lives were lost in his village and all the ninety-six houses had been washed away.

Q3. What were the two important tasks Prashant did after deciding to be the leader of the village? 
Ans. The first task was that he organised a group of youths and elders to make the merchant give them rice. They succeeded in their mission. Secondly, he made a team of youth volunteers. They cleaned the shelter of the dirt, urine, vomit and floating carcasses.

Q4. How did the villagers make the helicopters drop regular quantities of the flood?
Ans. Prashant and others devised a plan to attract the attention of the helicopters. They deputed children to lie there with empty utensils on their stomachs. This was done to communicate to the helicopters that they were hungry. The scheme worked and the helicopters started dropping food regularly.

Q5. How did Prashant and his friend’s family pass two days of the super cyclone?
Ans. As the flood water was rising, Prashant and his friend’s family sat on the open roof of the house. They froze in the cold and continuous rain. Two coconut trees had fallen on the roof. They proved to be a blessing in disguise. They survived by eating the tender coconuts.

Q6. What havoc had the super cyclone wrecked in the life of the people of Orissa?
Ans. The super cyclone was a devastating storm which washed the houses away and destroyed hundreds of villages. It killed thousands of people and uprooted a large number of trees. There were dead bodies all around. People became homeless and many children who had lost their parents became orphans. This crazed destruction continued for the next thirty-six hours. The condition seemed grim after the super cyclone.

Q7. How has Prashant, a teenager, been able to help the people of his village?
Ans. On reaching his village, Prashant found deplorable conditions all around him. He had leadership qualities so he took the initiative to rehabilitate people. He made a team of young volunteers and cleaned urine, filth, vomit and floating carcasses. His team was fully dedicated to serving others. He persuaded grief-stricken women to look after children. In this way, he became a ray of hope for all.

Q8. How did Prashant spend his time during the first two days of the super cyclone?
Ans. When the super cyclone hit coastal Orissa, Prashant was at his friend’s house with neck-deep water. They spent two days on the roof of the house and lived on tender coconuts of those two trees which had fallen on the roof.

Q9. What did Prashant see when he reached his village?
Ans. When Prashant reached his village, his heart turned cold. Houses had been washed away. Only roofs were lying on the ground. The belongings were mixed up and twisted. The tree branches appeared above water. His maternal grandmother was the first woman Prashant saw in the crowd at the Red Cross shelter.

Q10. How did Prashant manage food for village people?
Ans. A military helicopter dropped some parcels but it didn’t return. The youth task force of the village asked the children to lie in the sand with empty utensils on their stomach. They were successful in telling the helicopters that they were hungry. So the helicopter dropped regular food and other supplies to them.

Q11. How did the super cyclone affect the life of the people of Orissa?
Ans. Super cyclone in Orissa in October 1999 proved very devastating. Heavy and incessant rain filled the darkness. Ancient trees were uprooted and crashed to the earth. People and houses were washed away.

Q12. What did Prashant do for orphaned children?
Ans. Prashant found that a large number of children had been orphaned. He brought them together and put up a polythene shelter for them. He organised cricket matches for children. Prashant tried to set up their children in new foster families made up of childless widows and children.

Q13. Do you think Prashant is a good leader? Do you think young people can get together to help people during natural calamities?
Ans. Undoubtedly, Prashant is a good leader. He has all the qualities of a leader. He has a special quality of taking initiatives. His vision is quite clear. He faces adverse circumstances courageously. He is a source of energy for others and has great motivational power. I think that youth is power. This power can be used to assist society during natural disasters. Whatever job is assigned to the youth in such circumstances they perform their duty with full spirit.

Q14. How have the people of the community helped one another? What role do the women of Kalikuda play during these days?
Ans. Prashant took the initiative and mobilised everyone to help one another. In this time of distress, the people of the community joined hands together and started relief work. Women started working in the Food for Work Programme and looked after the orphans.

Q15. What happened in the evening when Prashant was at his friend’s house in Ersama?
Ans. In the evening when Prashant was at his friend’s house, a dark and menacing storm gathered. Winds started blowing at great speed. Heavy and continuous rains filled the darkness. Ancient trees were uprooted and crushed to death. The angry water rushed in his friend’s house, neck deep.

Q16. Where had Prashant gone on 27th October 1999? Why?
Ans. Prashant had gone to block headquarters of Ersama on 27th October 1999. He had gone there to spend a day with a friend. Ersama is a small town in coastal Orissa.

Q17. How did the two fallen coconut trees prove a blessing in disguise for Prashant and his friend’s family?
Ans. The cyclonic storm with a high wind velocity of 350 km per hour uprooted many huge and old trees. Two coconut trees had fallen on the roof of their house. This proved to be a blessing in disguise for them. The tender coconuts from the trees kept the trapped family from starving for several days.

Q18. How were the orphans and the widows resettled?
Ans. Prashant had deep sympathy for the flood victims. He could not tolerate the deplorable condition of women and children. He decided to get them engaged. So, he persuaded the women to work in the food-for-work programme. He made a special arrangement for the children to keep them busy.

Q19. After becoming the leader of his village, Prashant performed two important tasks. What were they?
Ans. Prashant was a courageous boy. He decided to improve the condition of the village. He became the leader of the village and started work. First of all, he organised the youths and elders of the village into a group. They put pressure on the rich merchant to donate some rice for the poor. They also made the helicopters drop food for the hungry people.

Q20. Why do Prashant and other volunteers resist the plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows? What alternatives do they consider?
Ans. Prashant and other volunteers resisted the plan as they felt that it would not be proper to set up separate institutions for orphans and widows. The group of volunteers was of the opinion that in these institutions children would not be able to get love and widows would suffer from stigma and loneliness and isolation. The group decided to rehabilitate them in their own community. New families were made and the childless widows took care of the orphans.

Important Long Questions

Q1. Describe the destruction caused by the super cyclone as narrated in the story Weathering the Storm in Ersama’.
Ans. On 27th October 1999, Prashant went to meet one of his friends who lived in Ersama. The place was eighteen kilometres from his village. In the evening, a super cyclone came. Winds beat against the houses with great fury. There was heavy and continuous rain. Houses and people were washed away in the flood. His friend’s house was made of bricks and cement. It was strong enough to survive the wind blowing at 350 km per hour. hut one uprooted tree fell on their house and damaged some part of its roof and walls. To escape the waters rising in the house, Prashant and his friend’s family took refuge on the roof. For the next two days, Prashant sat huddled with his friend’s family on the rooftop. They froze in cold and rain. In the early morning, Prashant saw the destruction caused by the cyclone. There was a sheet of water everywhere. Only parts of cemented houses were still visible. All other houses had been washed away. Even huge trees had fallen. Bloated dead-bodies of animals and human beings were floating everywhere.

Q2. Describe how Prashant reached his village after the cyclone?
Ans. The destruction caused by the cyclone and the waves of the ocean continued for the next thirty-six hours. Two days later, the rain ceased and the rainwater slowly began to recede. Prashant was worried about his family. He took a long stick and started on the eighteen kilometres long and difficult journey to his village. There was water everywhere. He had to use his stick to locate the road. At places, it was waiting deep and the progress was slow. Sometimes, he lost the road and had to swim. After some distance, he found two friends of his uncle. They decided to move ahead together. They had to push away many human bodies floating on the water. There were also carcasses of dogs, goats and cattle. In every village they passed, they could barely see a house standing. Ile feared that his family could not have survived the cyclone. At last, he reached his village Kalikuda. His heart sank. His house was gone. His family was nowhere. In order to look for his family, Prashant went to the Red Cross Shelter. Fortunately, his family was alive. They were very glad to see Prashant. He came to know that eighty-six lives were lost in his village and all the ninety-six houses had been washed away.

Q3. Describe how Prashant helped himself and others at the time of the natural calamity?
Ans. The cyclone caused a lot of damage in Prashant’s village and surrounding areas. Prashant decided to help his own family and the others. He organised a group of youths. They pressurized the local merchant to give rice to the starving villagers. They burnt a fire and cooked the rice, although it was rotten; His next step was to clean the place of filth, dirt, urine and floating dead bodies. They tended the wounds and fractures of many who had been injured. On the fifth day, a military helicopter dropped food. But it did not return. Prashant and others devised a plan to attract the attention of the helicopters. They deputed children to lie there with empty utensils on their stomachs. This was done to communicate to the helicopters that they were hungry. The scheme worked and the helicopters started dropping food regularly.
The Prashant brought the orphaned children and made a shelter for them. He asked the woman to look after them. But he found that women and children were sinking deeper and deeper into their grief. A non-government organization had started food for work programme. Prashant persuaded them to join it. He eng..get other volunteers to help widows start their lives again. The orphaned children were resettled in their own community.

Q4. Prashant did not help his family members, but he helped the whole community during the cyclone. What is your opinion on this matter?
Ans. On reaching his village, Prashant found deplorable conditions all around him. He had leadership qualities so he took the initiative to rehabilitate people. He made a team of young volunteers and cleaned urine, filth, vomit and floating carcasses. His team was fully dedicated to serving others. He persuaded grief-stricken women to look after children. In this way, he became a ray of hope for all. Undoubtedly, Prashant is a good leader. He has all the qualities of a leader. He has a special quality of taking initiatives. His vision is quite clear. He faces adverse circumstances courageously. He is a source of energy for others and has great motivational power. I think that youth is power. This power can be used to assist society during natural disasters. Whatever job is assigned to the youth in such circumstances they perform their duty with full spirit.

Q5. The widows and orphans of village Kalikuda remember Prashant’s help after the cyclone with gratitude. Explain how Prashant helped them in their darkest hour of grief.
Ans. After the devastation, the shelter was established at Kalikuda. Around 2500 people were there. The whole atmosphere was grimy. The people survived on green coconuts. The men, the women and the children looked helpless. They were filled with fear and groaning for the dead. Prashant took the initiative and organised many groups. They could succeed in their efforts and got rice to eat. They got relief packages sent through helicopters. There was filth, vomit, urine. The floating carcasses could be seen all around. Life seemed slow there. The people there passed their time in gossiping and performing several activities. The situation of the shelter showed a clear picture of suffering humanity.

Q6. Within two days of the cyclone, Prashant left Ersama for his village Kalikuda so that he can know the fate of his family. Was it right to do so?
Ans. After two days when the rain ceased and the rainwater began to recede slowly, Prashant decided to visit his village. He had to face many difficulties on his way. He equipped himself with a long stick and started his journey. The village was 18 kilometres away from this place. He kept moving ahead through the swollen flood waters. He used his stick to estimate the depth of the water. When he reached the village his heart went cold on seeing the little pieces of roofs floating in the water. After a while, he could see his grandmother. She rushed and hugged him. Later on, the other members of his family were found in the Red Cross Shelter.

Q7. During natural calamities, women and children need more protection. Explain Prashant’s role in organising relief measures for women and children during the storm in Ersama.
Ans. The scene after the storm and heavy rain was quite tragic. There were dead bodies and uprooted trees all around. A brown sheet of water covered everything. There was water everywhere. The rain ceased after two days but water could be seen as far as the eyes could gaze. Because of heavy rain, there was little hope for the betterment of the flood victims. Prashant tackled all these problems very carefully. First of all, he owned the responsibility of a leader of the group. He organized a group of youths and elders that compelled merchants to part with a good quota of the rice. They collected wood, cooked rice and fed the people. Then he arranged a team of youth to clean the surroundings of the shelter. They looked after the wounded people. He persuaded women to look after the orphans. To bring people out of their grief he organized games for the children. For the same reason, he convinced women to take part in Food-for-work programs. He became the prime example of courage and compassion.

Q8. Do you think adversity or crises bring people closer? How? Explain with reference to the lesson ‘Weathering the Storm in Ersama’. 
Ans. Man is a social animal. Despite food and other common needs, he cannot live without company and love of his near or dear ones. In adversity or crises, it is noticed that they come forward to help one another without any previous ill-feeling for one another. Adversity or crisis brings people together. There is a bond of humanity. The victims of the cyclone in Erasama helped one another. They worked together during this resettlement. They took care of orphans and widows. Prashant managed to unite them and work for one another. Thus in the hour of grief, the people of the community joined hands under the leadership of Prashant. They came forward to help one another. Prashant brought the survivors together and formed a youth task force. The youth took the charge and volunteered themselves for cleaning the shelters of filth, urine and vomit.

Q9. The future of a country depends upon the power of youth. Explain how Prashant organised the youth in Ersama to help the cyclone-affected people.
Ans. Prashant became a leader of the village. He sent a delegation to the merchants and got the full quota of rice for the people taking shelter in the shed. Then he organised a team of volunteers to clean the shelter. On the fifth day of the camp, One Military helicopter dropped food packets but did not return again. Then the youth task force was set up. The group debuted the children to lie on the floor. They had the empty utensils on their stomachs. By that, they were able to communicate with the passing helicopters that they were hungry. Finally, the helicopters dropped a good quantity of food there.

Q1. Why did the Swallow cry when the Happy Prince asked him to pluck out one of the sapphires?

Ans: The swallow cried when the Prince asked him to pluck out one of the sapphires because he knew it would cause the Prince to go blind. The Prince was already suffering greatly, yet he was willing to sacrifice his own sight to help the poor and needy.

Q2. Where was the swallo going? Why did he decide not go there?

Ans: The little swallow was heading to Egypt to meet his friends. However, upon seeing the sadness of the Happy Prince, he chose to stay and act as his messenger. In the end, the swallow sacrificed his life helping the Prince in his mission to aid the poor.

Q3. What were the drops of the rain actully? Why did they fall?

Ans: The drops of rain were actually the tears of the Happy Prince. He was deeply sad about the widespread poverty and suffering he saw around him. Although he had once lived a life filled with happiness, he could not understand that many people were sick and crying due to their misery.

Q4. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince as described in the beginning of the story?

Ans: The statue of the Happy Prince stood high on a tall column, adorned with thin leaves of gold. His eyes were made of two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby was embedded in the hilt of his sword. This beautiful statue was a striking figure overlooking the city.

Q5. How did the Happy Prince help the poor children in the city?

Ans: The Happy Prince helped the poor children in the city by ordering the swallow to remove his golden leaves and precious jewels. The swallow took these valuable items and distributed them among the needy. As a result, the children received food and warmth, allowing them to laugh and play once more.

Q6. In the story “The Happy Prince” what are the two most precious things? What makes them so precious?

Ans: The two most precious things in the story are the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. The leaden heart is precious because it weeps for the poor and helps them by giving away its riches, such as sapphires, gold leaves, and a ruby. The dead swallow is valuable as it sacrifices its life to assist the prince in his noble cause, showing great compassion and loyalty.

Q7. How did the Happy Prince help the seamstress?

Ans: The Happy Prince instructed the swallow to retrieve the ruby from his sword and deliver it to a seamstress. Her son was ill with a fever, and she had no means to help him. The swallow took the ruby and placed it on the table beside her thimble, providing the much-needed assistance.

Q8. How did the prince and the swallow enable the playwright to finish his work?

Ans: The playwright was very poor and struggled to afford food and firewood, making it hard for him to write his play. The Prince, feeling sympathy for him, decided to help by sending sapphires through the swallow. The swallow plucked out one of the Prince’s eyes, a beautiful sapphire, and delivered it to the playwright. This act provided the playwright with the means to buy firewood and continue his work.

Q9. What were the drops of the rain actually? Why did they fall?

Ans: The drops of rain were actually tears from the Happy Prince. He wept upon witnessing the misery and suffering of the people in his city.

Q10. Why was the “Happy Prince” not really happy?

Ans: The Happy Prince was not truly happy because, when he was alive, he was unaware of tears and sorrow. After his death, he could see the ugliness and misery of the city from his high perch. This new awareness caused him to weep, revealing that he was not happy at all.

Q11. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?

Ans: The little swallow chose to stay with the Happy Prince because he felt sorry for him. The Prince looked so sad that the swallow agreed to remain for one more night and act as his messenger. He took the large ruby from the Prince’s sword and flew off to deliver it to a poor woman in need.

Q12. What is the moral of the story The Happy Prince?

Ans: The moral of the story is that we should help the poor and the needy. The Happy Prince exemplified this by giving away his jewels to those in need. Additionally, the swallow demonstrated love and sacrifice through his actions, highlighting the importance of compassion.

Q13. What happened when the little swallow was getting ready to sleep?

Ans: As the little swallow prepared to sleep, a large drop of water fell on him. This was not rain, but the tears of the Prince, who was saddened by the misery and suffering of the people.

Q14. What did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to do for helping the young man in the garret?

Ans: The Happy Prince asked the swallow to pluck out one of his sapphire eyes and deliver it to a young man living in a garret. This man was very poor and struggling to write due to hunger. The Prince believed that the sapphire would help the young man buy firewood and complete his play.

Q15. How did the little swallow carry out the wishes of the Happy Prince?

Ans: The swallow initially wanted to travel to Egypt with his friends. However, after resting at the base of the Happy Prince for one night, he chose to delay his journey. The Prince asked the swallow to deliver a ruby to a needy playwright and another to a seamstress. When the Prince gave away a sapphire from his eye to a match girl, he became blind. This act inspired the swallow to stay and assist those in need, just like the Prince. Ultimately, the swallow died while fulfilling the wishes of the Happy Prince, dedicating himself to helping the less fortunate.

Short Answer Questions

Q1. Why were the people of the kingdom confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and his minister?
​Ans: The people of the kingdom were confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and the minister. They expected to see the Guru and the disciple instead. The citizens could not comprehend the deception that had been carried out by the Guru against their leaders, leading to their confusion and panic.

Q2. When does the disciple remember the words of the Guru?
​Ans: The disciple initially ignored his Guru’s advice to leave the kingdom of fools. However, when the king deemed him suitable for execution, he suddenly recalled the Guru’s words: “This is a city of fools. You don’t know what they will do next.” In that moment, he realised the wisdom of his Guru as he awaited his fate.

Q3. How was the kingdom of Fools different from any other place?
​Ans: In the Kingdom of Fools, everything was unusual. Night was treated as day, and day as night. Both people and animals were awake at night. Remarkably, everything could be purchased for a duddu, regardless of what it was.

Q4. Why did the Guru want that he and his disciple should die first?
​Ans: The Guru wanted both himself and his disciple to die first to save his disciple from execution. He devised a clever plan to convince the king that whoever died first would be reborn as king and minister in their next life. This strategy exploited the king’s superstition, ensuring their safety.

Q5. On what conditions did the Guru and his disciple agree to rule that kingdom?
​Ans: The guru and his disciple agreed to rule the kingdom on the condition that they could change all the old and foolish laws. This meant that night would be recognised as night, and day would be treated as a regular working day. Additionally, prices would be adjusted based on the actual value of goods.

Q6. Why did the Guru not want to stay in the Kingdom of Fools?
​Ans: The Guru did not want to stay in the Kingdom of Fools because the people there were foolish and unpredictable. He feared that their foolishness could lead to harm.

Q7. Why does the disciple not want to leave the Kingdom of the fools?
​Ans: The disciple chose to stay in the Kingdom of Fools because everything was affordable and easily accessible. The availability of cheap food made life seem simple and enjoyable. Despite the guru’s warnings about the foolishness of the kingdom, the disciple preferred the comfort of his surroundings.

Q8. Why did the king decide to postpone the execution of the Guru and his disciples?
​Ans: The Guru cleverly deceived the king by claiming that those who were dying would be reborn as the king and minister in their next life. The gullible king believed the Guru’s words and decided to postpone the execution of the Guru and his disciples.

Q9. What was so strange about the Kingdom of Fools?
​Ans: The strange aspect of the Kingdom of Fools was that both humans and animals were made to sleep during the day. In this kingdom, everything came to a standstill during daylight hours, creating an unusual atmosphere where no one was awake.

Q10. Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape from the punishment?
​Ans: The real culprit according to the king is the rich merchant. The king believes the merchant is responsible for the collapse of a wall that killed a thief, as he inherited both his father’s wealth and his sins. However, the merchant escapes punishment because he is too thin to be executed on the newly made stake. This leads the king to seek a fat man to fit the stake instead.

Q11. What advice did the Guru give to the disciple before going out of the city?
​Ans: The Guru warned his disciple that it was dangerous to remain in a Kingdom of Fools. He explained that there was no justice there, only foolish and unpredictable behaviour. According to the Guru, such a kingdom would not endure for long.

Q12. What is the Guru’s wisdom? When does the disciple realize this?
​Ans: The Guru’s wisdom is about understanding the lack of justice and the unpredictable nature of the Kingdom of Fools. He warns his disciple to leave, anticipating potential dangers. The disciple truly grasps the importance of this wisdom when he faces execution, regretting that he ignored the Guru’s advice.

Q13. Why did the king want to punish the merchant?
​Ans: The king wanted to punish the merchant because a wall from his house fell on a thief, resulting in the thief’s death. The merchant had inherited his father’s wealth, and with it, he also inherited his father’s sins. Therefore, the king believed he should be held accountable for this incident.

Q14. Who became the king and the prime minister of the kingdom?
​Ans: As the kingdom lacked a king, the people urged the Guru and his disciple to take the throne. Eventually, the holy man agreed to become the king, while his disciple assumed the role of Prime Minister. They agreed to rule under the condition that they could reform the old laws.

Q15. What two things were different in the kingdom of fools?
​Ans: In the Kingdom of Fools, two notable differences were that the people worked at night and slept during the day. Additionally, everything was sold at the same price; for instance, a duddu could buy both a mass of rice and a bunch of bananas.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Disciple in the story didn’t look into the depth of the matter and made a hasty decision to not leave the kingdom of fools. What light does the story throw on the importance of good decision-making in one’s life?
​Ans: The disciple in the story failed to consider the situation carefully and made a hasty decision to remain in the Kingdom of Fools. He was tempted by the low prices of goods, where anything could be purchased for a ‘Dudu’, whether it was rice or bananas. Ignoring his Guru’s warning about the dangers of staying in such a place, the disciple chose to stay, prioritising cheap food over his safety. His mistake became clear when he was selected for execution, leading him to regret his choice. This incident highlights how a single poor decision can have severe consequences, potentially costing one their life.

Q2. Do you believe in the fact that our prayers are often heard and answered? There are miracles which change the course of life. Which miracle took place in the story? ‘In the Kingdom of Fools? What lesson do you learn from the Guru’s word of wisdom?
​Ans: It is often believed that our prayers are heard and answered, as demonstrated in the story ‘In the Kingdom of Fools’. The king ordered the execution of the disciple, who prayed to his Guru for help. A miracle occurred when the Guru heard his prayer and arrived to rescue him. He whispered a plan to the disciple and then addressed the king, suggesting that he should be executed first. The king agreed, believing that whoever died first would be the king in their next life. This clever advice from the Guru saved both the disciple and himself. The disciple learned the importance of heeding his Guru’s words of wisdom and realised his mistake in not listening sooner.

Q3. You are the disciple in the story, “Kingdom of the Fools”. You are in trouble as you are about to be hanged. You decide to write a letter to your Guru regretting your decision to stay in the kingdom of fools and requesting him to help you. Write the letter in 80 words.
Ans:

Respected Guru ji,

I write to you in desperation, regretting my choice to remain in this Kingdom of Fools. I succumbed to the allure of cheap, tasty food, and now I face serious trouble. I am trapped and will soon be hanged. The people here are foolish, and reasoning with them is futile. You are my only hope for salvation. Please come quickly to rescue me. I promise to heed your advice in the future and exercise better self-control.

Your disciple.

Q4. How did the Guru and his disciple become the king and the minister of the kingdom?
Ans: The Guru realised that the king and his minister were foolish. To protect his disciple, he devised a clever plan. He claimed that the first person executed would become the king in the next life, while the second would be the minister. The gullible king and minister, believing this, arranged for their own executions. With the kingdom now leaderless, the Guru and his disciple were appointed as the new king and minister.

Q5. How did the Guru manage to save his disciple?
​Ans: The king ordered the execution of his disciple, who prayed for help. The Guru, sensing his disciple’s distress, appeared in a vision. He whispered a message to the disciple and then approached the king, asking him to execute the Guru first. The disciple, understanding the plan, insisted on being executed before the Guru, which confused the king.

Realising the situation, the king succumbed to his desire for power and decided to be reborn as king. That night, he and his minister secretly freed the Guru and the disciple, disguising themselves as them to face execution instead. Thus, the Guru successfully saved his disciple.

Q6. “Guru was a wise man” – how does the story “The Kingdom of Fools” reflect it?
​Ans: “The Kingdom of Fools” clearly reflects that “Guru was a wise man” as he advised his disciple not to stay in that kingdom. As the disciple thought that the future is uncertain, he did not pay any heed to his Guru and stayed on. When he was imprisoned by the King’s men, he realized the significance of his Guru’s words and repented on his not following his Guru’s advice. So, it is proved that Guru was really very wise. And it was because of his wisdom that disciple was saved and they were made king and prime-minister of the kingdom.

Short Answer Questions 
Q1: What impact did Iswaran’s story of a female ghost have on Mahendra? 
Ans: Mahendra avoided looking out of the window when the moon was full. He went to bed with a certain unease and peered into the darkness to make sure that there was no movement of dark shapes outside.

Q2: Why did Mahendra become fond of Iswaran?
Ans: Mahendra became fond of Iswaran because he was a very resourceful person who took excellent care of him. As a trained cook, Iswaran could prepare meals and manage supplies even in a desolate location. His attentive nature and ability to provide comfort made Mahendra appreciate him greatly.

Q3: Why did Mahendra decide to leave the haunted place?

Ans: Mahendra decided to leave the haunted place because he was terrified after experiencing a frightening event at night. He had heard and seen something unsettling, which led him to frequently dream about a woman’s ghost. This constant fear prompted him to resolve to leave the location.

Q4: What sets Iswaran apart from other domestic helps?
Ans: Iswaran stood out as a remarkable domestic help due to his exceptional skills and personality. He was not only a trained cook but also a captivating storyteller. Every night, he entertained Mahendra with fascinating tales, making their evenings enjoyable. Iswaran’s ability to conjure up delicious meals from seemingly nowhere, even in remote locations, further showcased his resourcefulness and dedication.

Q5: How did Iswaran tackle the elephant? 
Ans: The elephant caused widespread panic, with children and teachers fleeing for safety. Iswaran bravely confronted the beast and struck its third toe with a rod. This action successfully subdued the mad elephant.

Q6: How did Iswaran show his usefulness to the narrator?
Ans: Iswaran demonstrated his usefulness to Mahendra in several ways. He was not only a skilled cook but also deeply loyal, accompanying Mahendra wherever he was assigned. Iswaran took care of Mahendra’s daily needs by cooking meals and washing his clothes. Additionally, he provided companionship by engaging in conversations at night and sharing captivating stories, often filled with adventure and suspense, which made Mahendra’s evenings enjoyable.

Q7: Who was Iswaran? What did he do for his master?
Ans: Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and a valuable companion. He took care of various tasks, including cooking meals and washing Mahendra’s clothes. Each night, he would engage his master in conversation, sharing captivating stories that were often filled with adventure and suspense. Iswaran had a remarkable ability to create delicious dishes from seemingly scarce ingredients, making him an indispensable part of Mahendra’s life.

Q8: How does Iswaran describe the story of the elephant? Does it appear to be plausible?
Ans: One day, an elephant went mad, stamping on bushes, breaking fences, smashing fruit stalls, mud pots and clothes. He even entered a school breaking through the brick wall. Iswaran, who was in the junior class, whacked its third toenail with a rod and it collapsed. No, the story does not appear to be plausible.

Q9: What destruction did the elephant cause in the town? 
Ans: The elephant caused significant destruction in the town. It broke branches and fences and smashed stalls. When it entered a school playground, it damaged a brick wall, pulled out a football goal post, tore down a volleyball net, and flattened a water drum. The chaos left the streets empty, as everyone fled in fear.

Long Answer Type Questions 

Q1: What are the qualities of a good listener? Express your views in reference to Mahendra, who would listen to Iswaran’s tales uncritically. 
Ans: Listening is a vital skill in storytelling. A good listener not only grasps the meaning of the story but also appreciates the expressions and intentions of the storyteller. Iswaran was a remarkable storyteller, and Mahendra was an equally attentive listener. Iswaran created a captivating atmosphere around his tales, which held Mahendra’s attention completely. He maintained eye contact with Iswaran, expressing awe or horror as the story unfolded. Mahendra allowed his imagination to bring the story to life; for instance, during the tale of the tusker, he felt genuine tension and fear. Throughout the storytelling, Mahendra remained silent, never interrupting Iswaran. He would occasionally nod in agreement and only express his thoughts at the end of the story. This uncritical listening style allowed him to fully immerse himself in Iswaran’s narratives. Mahendra’s ability to listen patiently and attentively enhanced his experience, making the stories more impactful. His engagement with Iswaran’s tales exemplifies the qualities of a good listener, such as patience, focus, and a willingness to understand without judgment.

Q2: How can you say that Iswaran was a fascinating storyteller?
Ans: Iswaran was a captivating storyteller known for his dramatic style. He painted vivid pictures of events using imaginative descriptions and expressive gestures. Even mundane incidents are transformed into thrilling tales filled with suspense and surprise endings. His storytelling was heavily influenced by exciting novels and stories from Tamil authors, which often included elements of adventure, horror, and unexpected twists. Iswaran’s ability to engage his audience made him a truly fascinating storyteller, capable of holding anyone’s attention with his narratives.

Q3: How was Iswaran, the cook, an asset to Mahendra?
Ans: Iswaran, the cook, was a significant asset to Mahendra. He was deeply attached to Mahendra and accompanied him to every posting without complaint. Iswaran not only prepared delicious meals quickly but also took care of Mahendra’s clothes and engaged him in conversation at night. His remarkable ability to produce cooking ingredients from seemingly nowhere allowed him to create fresh dishes even in remote locations. Additionally, Iswaran was a talented storyteller, captivating Mahendra with his thrilling and imaginative tales, which provided entertainment and companionship.

Q4: Write a brief character sketch of Iswaran. 
Ans: Iswaran, Mahendra’s servant, was very devoted to him. He was not only a very well-trained and wonderful cook but also a good storyteller. He was fond of reading thrillers, and his narrations were influenced by those styles. Iswaran was very devoted to Mahendra. He was a skilled cook and a captivating storyteller, often narrating thrilling tales inspired by Tamil authors. His loyalty, resourcefulness, and engaging personality made him an essential part of Mahendra’s life.

Q5: “Iswaran was a good cook as well as a good storyteller “Elaborate with the help of an example.
Ans: Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and the whole caretaker of Mahendra. He had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables and cooking ingredients seemingly out of nowhere. He not only could cook delicious meals, but he was a good storyteller. His descriptions were influenced by the Tamil authors he read. Even while narrating the smallest of incidents, he would try to make the account thrilling and full of suspense. Mahendra enjoyed listening to the stories told by Iswaran because of the way they were told. Thus, Iswaran was a real asset for Mahendra.

Q6: Iswaran was a fascinating storyteller. What other skills did he have? How was he an asset to Mahendra?
Ans: Iswaran was a fascinating storyteller. He read a lot of storybooks and narrated incidents in a very vivid manner to Mahendra, his master. He could perform all kinds of actions and gestures to make the stories extremely interesting. Other than storytelling, he had excellent culinary skills. He was a trained cook and could cook delicious meals for Mahendra in very little time. He proved to be an asset for Mahendra. Additionally, Mahendra also loved his stories and the excellent way of telling them.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Why did the author’s grandfather decide to buy Toto?

Ans: Grandfather had a deep affection for animals. When he saw little Toto tied to a feeding trough, he felt sorry for him and wanted to care for him. Toto seemed out of place, and Grandfather decided to bring him to his private zoo. He found Toto to be quite amusing.

Q2. Why could not Toto and Nana become friends?

Ans: Toto was very naughty and could not stay calm for even a moment. He constantly found things to destroy around him. In contrast, Nana was a well-behaved and disciplined animal. Whenever they were together, Toto would tease her by biting her long ears, which made Nana very angry. As a result, Toto and Nana could never become friends.

Q3. How does Toto become a problem to grandfather while going to Saharanpur?

Ans: While travelling to Saharanpur, Toto initially behaved well. However, when Grandfather was getting his ticket, Toto unexpectedly poked his head out of the bag and grinned at the ticket collector. This surprised the collector, who insisted that Grandfather must pay for Toto as if he were a pet dog. Despite Grandfather’s attempts to explain that Toto was a monkey, the ticket collector classified him as a dog, resulting in a fare of three rupees.

Q4. Where was Toto kept immediately after grandfather got him? Why?

Ans: Toto was kept in a closet and tied securely to a peg. This was done to keep his presence a secret from the writer’s grandmother, who disliked animals.

Q5. Who was Nana? How did Toto tease Nana?

Ans: Nana was the family donkey. She shared the stable with Toto, the mischievous monkey. Toto often teased Nana by biting her long ears with his sharp little teeth. This behaviour frustrated Nana, who eventually could no longer tolerate Toto’s antics.

Q6. In what sense was Toto “a pretty monkey”.

Ans: Toto was a pretty monkey. His bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath his deep-set eyebrows, and his pearly white teeth often displayed a smile that frightened elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. Although his hands appeared dried up, as if pickled in the sun, his fingers were quick and mischievous. His tail, which added to his good looks, served as a third hand. He could hang from a branch and scoop up any delicacy that was out of reach of his hands.

Q7. How did Toto’s love for taking bathe almost led to his being half–boiled?

Ans: Toto had a strong affection for bathing in hot water. One day, he discovered a kettle on the fire, filled with water for tea. Finding the water warm enough, he jumped in, leaving his head sticking out. Initially, he enjoyed the warmth, but as the water began to boil, he felt the heat and tried to escape. However, the cold air outside made him return to the kettle. He kept hopping in and out, playing until his grandmother arrived and rescued him, just in time to prevent him from being half-boiled.

Q8. Why did the grandfather give away Toto, the monkey?

Ans: Toto was very naughty and caused trouble for everyone. The other pets were unhappy with him, and he broke many dishes, tore clothes, and damaged curtains and wallpapers. His behaviour had become very difficult to manage, leading Grandfather to decide to give Toto away.

Q9. Why did the grandfather hide Toto for some time when he brought him home?

Ans: Grandfather loved animals, but Grandmother did not share this affection. She often became annoyed when he brought home new pets. To prevent any conflict, he decided to hide Toto until he could introduce him to her when she was in a good mood. They kept Toto in a small closet connected to my bedroom, where he was tied securely. However, when they returned to release him, they discovered that he had caused quite a mess, tearing down the wallpaper and shredding my blazer.

Q10. Why did grandfather decide to take Toto along with him to Dehradun?

Ans: Grandfather decided to take Toto with him to Dehradun because there were other pets living there. However, Toto was known for not allowing his companions to sleep at night. Therefore, Grandfather made the choice to bring him along.

Q11. Give the names of Grandfather’s pets. Where did they live?

Ans: The names of Grandfather’s pets included Nana the donkey, Toto the monkey, a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and a goat. They all lived together in a large cage located in the servants’ quarters.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Write your views in the form of short paragraph on the topic “Should animals be kept as a pet”.

Ans: Before bringing a pet into our homes, it is essential to remember that animals cannot communicate like humans. As responsible pet owners, we must be aware of the various dangers that can threaten these creatures in our households. For instance, pesticides and medicines should be kept out of reach, as they pose serious risks to both pets and children. Additionally, areas where pets could accidentally start a fire, such as kitchens, fireplaces, or near electrical plugs, need to be secured. It is crucial to never leave pets unattended around open flames. Small electrical cords can also be hazardous, so they should be kept at a safe distance. Lastly, all pots and oil bottles should be properly closed to prevent any accidents.

Q2. How can you say that Toto was a mischievous pet?

Ans: Toto was a very mischievous pet. He often tore the wallpapers in the rooms and even damaged a school blazer. Toto caused trouble for other animals and once nearly boiled himself in a kettle. He also made holes in dresses and curtains, and even frightened a ticket checker. Additionally, he broke dishes around the house, proving to be a significant troublemaker for everyone. Therefore, it is clear that Toto was indeed a mischievous pet.

Q3. Describe the incident at Dehradun railway station after reading the story, The Adventures of Toto.

Ans: Grandfather needed to travel to Saharanpur and decided to take Toto, his pet monkey, along. He placed Toto inside a large black canvas bag, which had some straw at the bottom for comfort. When they arrived at the Dehra Dun railway station, Toto began to jump around inside the bag, causing it to roll and attract a crowd of curious onlookers.

As Grandfather approached the ticket turnstile, Toto unexpectedly poked his head out of the bag and grinned at the ticket collector. This surprised the collector, who insisted that Grandfather pay for Toto, claiming he was a dog. Despite Grandfather’s attempts to explain that Toto was a monkey and not a dog, the collector insisted on charging a fare of three rupees. In a moment of mischief, Grandfather then took out their pet tortoise and asked what he owed for it. 

Q4. “Toto was not good enough to be kept at home.” Do you agree to this statement? Why/why not.

Ans: Yes, Toto was not good enough to be kept at home. He was constantly up to some kind of mischief. For instance, he tore the wallpapers in the rooms and damaged a school blazer. He also troubled other animals and even got himself into trouble by nearly boiling himself in a kettle. Additionally, he made holes in dresses and curtains, scared the ticket checker, and broke dishes in the house. Therefore, it was quite challenging to keep him at home.

Q5. “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long.” Explain giving examples from the text.

Ans: Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long because he was extremely mischievous. He caused significant damage by scratching the plaster off the walls, and tearing my school blazer and my aunt’s dresses. On one occasion, he threw plates at my grandmother and splashed water on one of my aunts. His antics included breaking dishes of pulav into pieces. The family could not afford the constant loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper, which ultimately led Grandfather to sell Toto back to the tonga-driver for only three rupees.

Q6. Grandfather was a great lover of animals. Describe.

Ans: The narrator’s grandfather was a true animal lover. He had a variety of pets, including a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and a goat. However, he did not have a monkey until Toto arrived, transforming his small collection of animals into a lively zoo. Grandfather enjoyed acquiring different animals, often facing his wife’s displeasure when he brought home new additions. Despite this, he was particularly delighted with Toto’s cleverness, which added to the charm of his mini zoo.

Q7. How does Toto take a bathe? Where has he learned to do this?

Ans: Toto takes a bath in a tub of warm water. He carefully puts his legs in one by one and uses soap to clean himself. Monkeys are good at imitating others, so Toto learned how to bathe by watching the narrator. He enjoys bathing in warm water and, after testing the temperature with his hand, he steps into the kettle, often with his head sticking out. Toto does not seem to understand the danger of boiling water, so he hops up and down in the kettle until his grandmother rescues him, having nearly boiled himself.

Q1. How did the child react when there was no sign of his parents ?

Ans: The child reacted with innocence and confusion when he couldn’t find his parents. He became panic-stricken and felt profoundly lonely in the crowd. Despite a man’s attempts to console him, the child remained inconsolable, expressing that he only wanted his parents, not any material comforts.

Q2. Where did the child go with his parents ? What did he want there ?

Ans: The child went to a fair with his parents. He wanted garlands, balloons, and sweets there. Additionally, he wished to see the snake and take a ride on the swing.

Q3. Why did the lost child refuse to take his favourite things in the fair after losing his parents ?

Ans: The child refused to take his favourite things at the fair after losing his parents because he missed them deeply. His desire to reunite with them overshadowed any interest he had in the toys and sweets around him.

Q4. How did the mother distract the child’s mind from the toy seller ?

Ans: The mother distracted the child from the toy seller by pointing to a flowering mustard field. The child became captivated by the colourful dragonflies and began to chase after them.

Q5. How was the child separated from his parents ?

Ans: The boy was drawn to the toys, balloons, and sweets at the fair. He became captivated by the music of the snake charmer’s flute. While watching the roundabout, he lost sight of his parents and became separated from them.

Q6. What happened when the lost child reached the temple door ?

Ans: When the child reached the temple door, men were jostling each other. The poor child struggled to push his way through but was knocked about. He might have been trampled if he had not shouted at the top of his lungs.

His yellow turban came undone and his clothes became muddy. After running around in a panic, he stood defeated, his cries turning into sobs. Through his tear-filled eyes, he saw men and women chatting nearby, but he could not find his parents among the crowd.

Desperate, he ran towards a shrine where people were gathering. The crowd was thick near the temple entrance, with heavy men pushing against each other. The child tried to squeeze between their legs, but their movements knocked him around. He cried out for his parents, feeling lost and scared.

Q7. What happened when the “lost child” entered the grove? How did he enjoy it there?

Ans: When the lost child entered the grove, a shower of young flowers fell upon him. He joyfully gathered the petals as they rained down. The soothing cooing of doves caught his attention, prompting him to run towards his parents, excitedly shouting about the doves. He had a delightful time in the grove, filled with laughter and wonder.

Q8. Parents were in a hurry to reach the fair but the child was delaying them. How ?

Ans: The boy was distracted by various things on the way to the fair. He wanted to buy toys, catch butterflies and dragonflies, and gather flowers. His innocent curiosity caused him to delay his parents, making them wait as he explored his surroundings.

Q9. What was the first reaction of the child when he realized that he had lost his parents?

Ans: The child felt a wave of panic when he realised he had lost his parents. Confused and angry, he cried out for them, running in all directions in a desperate search. His tears flowed as he shouted, “Mother, Father!” His clothes became dirty, and he was overwhelmed by fear.

Q10. Why didn’t the boy wait for an answer after he had pleaded for sweets?

Ans: The boy didn’t wait for an answer after pleading for sweets because he anticipated that his parents would call him greedy and refuse to buy them. Understanding their likely response, he moved on without waiting.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q12. What changes do you notice in the behaviour of the child, once he is separated from his parents in the story “The Lost Child” ?

Ans: A child went to a fair with his parents, feeling excited and happy about the toys and sweets. However, when he became separated from them, his behaviour changed drastically. He started to cry and ran around in search of his parents, feeling scared in the crowded place. Despite the offers of sweets and toys from a kind man, he refused them all. The child, who had once wanted everything at the fair, now only longed to be with his parents, highlighting how his priorities shifted from material desires to a deep need for his family.

Q13. Compare the attitude of the child before and after his separation from his parents.

Ans: Before the separation, the child was very happy and excited at the fair. He was captivated by the various items displayed at the stalls, longing for his favourite toys, sweets, and flowers. He also wanted to enjoy the rides. However, after separating from his parents, the child’s attitude changed drastically. He no longer cared about the things he had previously desired; all he wanted was to be with his parents. Without them, the attractions of the fair lost their appeal, and he found no satisfaction in the things he once craved.

Q14. How did the man who found the little boy in the fair, try to soothe him?

Ans: The man who found the little boy at the fair tried various ways to soothe him. He first took him to a roundabout swing and then offered him a horse ride. He attempted to engage the boy with the snake charmer’s music and even presented him with a balloon, hoping to distract him. However, none of these efforts worked. The man also offered flowers and sweets, but the child continued to cry, longing for his parents. The boy was not interested in anything at the fair, as his heart was set on being with his mother and father.

Q15. How do you know that the lost child was a nature – lover ?

Ans: The child displayed a strong affinity for nature, reflecting his innocence and curiosity. When his mother pointed out the mustard field, he was captivated by the flowers, which appeared pale like melting gold. He noticed a group of dragonflies with their vibrant purple wings, darting around as they chased a lone black bee or butterfly seeking nectar. The child eagerly tried to catch the dragonflies, but they eluded him, fluttering away.

His fascination extended to the small insects and worms emerging from their hiding spots to bask in the sunshine. As he entered the fair, a shower of young flowers fell upon him, and he forgot about his parents, engrossed in gathering the petals. The sound of doves cooing drew him back, and he excitedly ran towards his parents, exclaiming about the doves.

Q16. What all things did the child get attracted to, once entered the fair ? Was he able to get all the things he desired ? What happened when he made a bold request to his parents ?

Ans: The child was captivated by the sight of burfi, his favourite sweet, and longed for it. However, he hesitated to ask his parents, knowing they would likely refuse, thinking he was being greedy. He then noticed a vendor selling a garland of gulmohur and felt drawn to it, but he also realised his parents would dismiss it as too cheap. Moving on, he was enchanted by the vibrant balloons but knew his parents would say he was too old for such toys.

As he wandered, he came across a snake-charmer playing a flute, but he remembered his parents forbidding him from listening to such music. Finally, he spotted a roundabout filled with laughter and excitement. Gathering his courage, he boldly asked, “I want to go on the roundabout, please, Father, Mother.” However, when he turned to look for them, he realised they were no longer behind him.

Q.1. What was the name of the beggar?
Ans. The name of the beggar was Lushkoff.

Q.2. Who did Lushkoff beg from?
Ans. He begged Sergei.

Q.3. What was Sergei’s profession?
Ans. Sergei was an advocate.

Q.4. What did Sergei remember about the beggar on seeing him?
Ans. Sergei reminded that he had seen him the previous day in Sadovya Street.

Q.5. What work did Sergei offer the beggar?
Ans. He offered the beggar the work of chopping wood.

Q.6. Who was Olga?
Ans. Olga was a maid-servant at Sergei’s home.

Q.7. What did Sergei give Lushkoff after the wood was chopped?
Ans. He gave him half a dollar.

Q.8. When did Lushkoff used to visit Sergei’s home?
Ans. Lushkoff used to visit Sergei’s home on the first of every month.

Q.9. Where did Sergei meet Lushkoff after an interval of two years?
Ans. He met him at the ticket window of a theatre.

Q.10. What did Lushkoff tell Sergei about his profession when he met him after two years?
Ans. He told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month.

Q.11. Who would chop wood for Lushkoff?
Ans. Olga would chop wood for Lushkoff.

Q.12. What changed Lushkoff’s life?
Ans. Olga’s kindness towards Lushkoff changed her life.

Q.13. How did Sergei recognise the beggar?
Ans. Sergei looked at the beggar. His face appeared familiar to him. He tried to recollect where he had seen him. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the beggar’s shoes. One shoe was high and the other was low. Now he clearly remembered where he had seen the beggar before. He had seen the beggar in the Sadovya Street

Q.14. The beggar was a liar. What two lies did he tell Sergei?
Ans. When the beggar met Sergei for the first time, he told him that he was a student and had been expelled from the college. When he met Sergei, for the second time, he told him that he had been offered a position in Kaluga, but he had no money for the fare to get there

Q.15. What kind of work was given to Lushkoff initially? Why did he agree to do it?
Ans. Sergei refused to give alms to Lushkolf, the beggar. lie offered to give him work. He took him home and gave him the work of chopping wood. Lushkoff agreed to do this work, not because he was hungry and scant work. He agreed to do it because of pride and shame and because he had been trapped by his own words.

Q.16. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Ans. In the beginning, Olga treated Lushkoff callously. She called him a drunkard. She rebuked him. Then she would sit before him and grow sad. She looked into his face and wept. Then she chopped wood for him. She did so because she felt pity for him. Secondly, she wanted to put him on the right path.

Q.17. Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did he give him?
Ans. Sergei wanted to give Lushkoff better, cleaner employment. His friend needed a copywriter. As Lushkoff was able to write, Sergei sent him to his friend. Sergei advised him to work hard and not to drink. He asked him not to forget his advice

Q.18. Where did Sergei see Lushkoff after two years? What work was he doing then?
Ans. One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month.

Q.19.  Was Lushkoff not good at chopping wood?
Ans. No, Lushkoff was not good at chopping wood. He pulled a piece of wood towards him. Ile put it between his legs. lie hit the wood feebly with the axe. The piece of wood became unsteady and fell down. Ile again pulled it and struck it. The piece of wood again fell down. This shows that Lushkoff did not know how to chop wood.

Q.20. Write a brief character-sketch of Olga.
Ans. Olga was the maidservant of Sergei. She was stem looking. But she was kind at heart. She rebuked Lushkoff. But then she took pity on him as he was weak and hungry. She did the chopping work for Lushkoff. Olga’s kindness had a great effect on Lushkoff. He gave up drinking and started taking interest in work. Thus Olga’s kindness saved Lushkoff’s life.

Q.21. What plea does Lushkoff make to Sergei when he appears at his yard?
Ans. Lushkoff pleads to Sergei to have pity on him. He says that he has not eaten anything for three days and does not have five copecks for lodging. He further tells Sergei that he had been a village school teacher for eight years and had lost his job due to scheming and lies.

Q.22.Describe the physical appearance of Lushkoff when Sergei observes him in his yard.
Ans. Sergei observed Lushkoff closely when the latter came to his yard asking for alms. At that time, Lushkoff had a ragged appearance. He had worn a fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes were dull and drunken. There was a red spot on either cheek. He looked every bit like a disgusting beggar.

Q.23. Why does Lushkoff want to go to Kaluga?
Ans. Lushkoff wants to go to Kaluga because he claims that he has an offer of a position in this province, after having lived without work for nearly a year. However, he cannot go there because he does not have any money.

Q.24. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Ans. Lushkoff has become a beggar not by choice but by circumstance. He was a singer in a Russian choir but was sent away for his drunkenness. Alcoholism had made him weak and he could not toil, so he took to begging for survival.

Q.25. How did Sergei come to remember that he had met the beggar before?
Ans. A close look at the beggar’s face made Sergei think that he had seen the man somewhere before. Then his eyes fell on his overshoes, one of which was high and the other was low. This made Sergei remember suddenly that he had seen this beggar in Sadovya Street a couple of days before.

Q.26. Why was the beggar taken aback when Sergei asked if he remembered having met him earlier?
Ans. The beggar was taken aback because he knew that his lies were going to be caught soon. The repercussions of extracting money by exploiting the sympathy of people could be very harsh for him. He could even be handed over to the police.

Q.27. How did Sergei react when the beggar lied about his identity?
Ans. Sergei got infuriated when the beggar lied about his identity. He turned from the ragged creature with an expression of disgust and reprimanded him for dishonesty and swindling. He threatened to call the police as well.

Q.28. What lies did Lushkoff tell people to beg?
Ans. In order to beg alms and earn sympathy, Lushkoff told different lies to people. He would claim to be a student who had been expelled or a village schoolteacher who had lost his job because of the intrigues and lies of others.

Q.29. What reason does Lushkoff give to Sergei for telling lies?
Ans. Lushkoff tells Sergei that he is telling lies because no one would help him if he told the truth about his drunkenness. Instead, lies helped him get both the sympathy and money that he required desperately to keep himself alive.

Q.30. What offer was made by Sergei to the beggar in order to discourage him from begging? Why?
Ans. Sergei offered Lushkoff to chop wood for him and earn money instead of telling lies and begging. Sergei made this offer because he believed that people could be reformed by hard work and not by giving sympathy or alms.

Q.31. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Ans. Luskhoff is not a willing worker since alcohol has made him very weak, both physically and emotionally. Still, he agrees to do the menial job of chopping wood because of his pride and shame. Earlier he had expressed his willingness to do any work provided he was offered one and now he could not go back on his words.

Q.32. Who was Olga? What task did Sergei assign to her?
Ans. Olga was Sergei’s cook. She appeared to be ill-tempered but eventually played an instrumental role in reforming Lushkoff with her words and noble deeds. Sergei told her to take Lushkoff to the woodshed and make him chop wood for them.

Q.33. How did Lushkoff follow Olga to the woodshed? What did this reveal about his willingness to work?
Ans. Lushkoff followed Olga in a gait that showed his reluctance to work. It was obvious that his strength had been destroyed by ‘vodka’ and he was too weak to do any type of hard physical labour.

Q.34. Why did Sergei hurry into the dining room? What did he see from there?
Ans. Sergei hurried into the dining room because he wanted to check the beggar’s behaviour while chopping wood. He saw both Olga and Lushkoff walking towards the shed. He also saw Olga’s expression of wrath towards the beggar and the manner in which he struggled to chop wood in the acute cold.

Q.35. How did Olga behave with the beggar while taking him to the woodshed?
Ans. Olga behaved with Lushkoff in a very shabby manner. She looked at him angrily and even shoved him aside with her elbow while unlocking the shed. She threw an axe at his feet and scolded him all the time as he tried to chop wood.

Q.36. Who was the ‘pseudo-teacher’ and why did he sit on a log?
Ans. The ‘pseudo-teacher’ was the beggar Lushkoff. He sat on a log, lost in his thoughts as his frail health did not allow him to undertake the hard task of chopping wood but he could not get away from it either.

Q.37. Describe Lushkoff’s attempt to chop wood.
Ans. In order to chop wood, Lushkoff irresolutely pulled a billet of wood towards him, set it up between his feet, and tapped it feebly with the axe instead of hitting it hard. As a result, the billet wavered and fell down. He again pulled it to him, blew on his freezing hands, and tapped it with his axe cautiously. The billet again fell to the ground without being chopped.

Q.38. How did Sergei feel after he saw Lushkoff chopping wood?
Ans. Sergei didn’t feel angry anymore after he saw Lushkoff chopping wood. Instead, he felt a little sorry and ashamed at having given the tough task of wood-chopping to Lushkoff who seemed to him a spoiled, drunkard and probably a sick man. It was difficult for him to do such a menial task in the severe cold.

Q.39. What remuneration was paid to Lushkoff for chopping wood for the first time? What additional offer was made at this time?
Ans. Sergei paid a rouble as remuneration to the beggar for chopping wood and instructed Olga to tell him that if he wanted, he could come back and chop wood on the first day of each month.

Q.40. Why did Lushkoff return to the yard on the first of the month? Why did he reappear often?
Ans. Lushkoff returned to the yard on the first of the month in order to chop wood and earn one rouble in return. He reappeared often because every time he used to be given odd jobs like shovelling snow, putting the woodshed in order and beating the dust out of rugs and mattresses. The money he got helped him survive.

Q.41. When and why did Sergei hire Lushkoff? How did he appear at this time?
Ans. Sergei hired Lushkoff when he moved into another house. He hired him to help in packing and hauling the furniture. This time Lushkoff appeared sober but gloomy and silent.

Q.42. Why did Lushkoff become embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei in moving to another house?
Ans. Lushkoff became embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei in moving to another house because he could not help in any way. He simply walked behind the wagons hanging his head and shivering in the cold. The other carters mocked at his idleness, feebleness and his tattered fancy over-coat.

Q.43. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Ans. Sergei says so because Lushkoff looked sober and seemed to have helped in the packing and hauling of furniture. He is partially right in saying this because his constant support had at least given Lushkoff an option to quit his disgusting life as a beggar.

Q.44. What revelation was made by Lushkoff to Sergei at the theatre?
Ans. Lushkoff revealed to Sergei that he did not chop even a single stick of wood in his yard. All the toil was done by the good and noble cook, Olga, who tried to help him and underwent misery and shed tears for his sake.

Q.45. “Thank you, too”. Why does Lushkoff say this to Sergei?
Ans. Lushkoff says this to Sergei because although Olga was the one who had actually reformed him Sergei’s contribution too was important. He had taken an interest in the life of a disgusting beggar and helped him drag himself out of the mess he was in.

Q.46. Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What was his parting advice?
Or
Which cleaner employment did Sergei arrange for Lushkoff? How?
Ans. Sergei sent Lushkoff to his friend with a letter of recommendation for some copying work. This was a cleaner employment in comparison to wood-chopping. As a parting advice, he told Lushkoff to work hard and not to drink.

Q.47. How and why did Sergei express his pleasure before parting from Lushkoff?
Ans. Sergei expressed his pleasure by tapping Lushkoff gently on the shoulder and shaking hands with him at parting. He expressed pleasure in this manner because he was convinced that the beggar was now a reformed person and deserved respect and honour.

Q.48. How did Sergei help Lushkoff to live respectfully?
Ans. Sergei helped Lushkoff to live respectfully by giving him odd jobs every time he came to the yard. Now Lushkoff did not need to beg alms since he got money for all the little tasks that he was given by Sergei. Lastly, Sergei sent Lushkoff to his friend with a letter of recommendation for cleaner employment as a copier.

Q.49. Where did Sergei meet Lushkoff after two years? What did Lushkoff tell him about himself?
Ans. Sergei saw Lushkoff after a period of two years at the ticket window of a theatre. Lushkoff was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a worn sealskin cap. He was buying a ticket for a gallery seat for himself. He told Sergei that he was a notary and earned thirty-five roubles a month.

Q.50. Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Ans. Lushkoff is obliged to Sergei for earning thirty-five roubles a month because the latter had paved the way for this achievement. He had recommended Lushkoff to his friend and arranged the job of a copier for him.

Q.51. Why did Sergei call Lushkoff his ‘godson’?
Ans. Sergei called Lushkoff his ‘godson’ because he had given him a push along the right path and his efforts had lifted him out of the pit of begging. He had shown interest in Lushkoff’s life and had felt happy to see him reformed.

Q.52. Who does Lushkoff give the credit for reforming him? Why?
Or
Why does Lushkoff acknowledge Olga’s contribution in reforming him?
Ans. Lushkoff is grateful to Sergei for employment but he gives true credit for his reformation to Olga, Sergei’s cook. Outwardly Olga is full of anger and spite, but her heart is full of human sympathy and kindness. While she severely scolds Lushkoff for being a miserable drunkard, she weeps for him and chops wood for him. She is the chief reason why Lushkoff gives up his bad habits and transforms into a hardworking man.

Q.53. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Ans. Lushkoff was a middle-aged man and belonged to the Russian choir. He was not a born beggar. He was sacked from the choir because of his drinking habits. He became a beggar by choice as he did not like to work hard at that stage.

Q.54. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Ans. No, he was not a willing worker. He was too weak to work. He had lost his strength and stamina due to his habit of drinking and, secondly, he was a middle-aged man. He agreed to chop wood because of pride and shame and he had been trapped by his own words. So he had no other way but to accept Sergei’s offer.

Q.55. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying so?
Ans. Sergei looked satisfied with the performance of the beggar and felt happy. When Lushkoff’s job of packing and hauling the furniture was over, he praised him while handing him a rouble. But he was not right in saying so because Lushkoff had not developed the habit of working hard. He was still an idle fellow.

Q.56. Who was Lushkoff? What did he pretend to be?
Ans. Lushkoff was a middle-aged poor man. He belonged to the Russian choir but was sacked from his job due to his drinking habits. To get some money he pretended to be a school teacher who had lost his job due to conspiracy. He also pretended to be a student expelled from the school for no guilt of his.

Q.57. What did Lushkoff tell Sergei when he met him?
Ans. The beggar told Sergei when he met him that he was a hungry man. He had nothing to eat. He had been a village school teacher for eight years. He requested him to have pity on him.

Q.58. How did Olga save Lushkoff?
Ans. Olga knew that Lushkoff won’t work so she felt pity for his sad expression. She sat down opposite him and wept. She would rebuke him. Then she would chop the wood for him. At last, Lushkoff’s heart changed. He stopped drinking and became a nice man.

Q.59. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Ans. Olga treated Lushkoff very badly in the beginning very badly. She called him a drunkard and rebuked him for his expressions. She would look into his face and weep. Then she would chop the wood for him. She did this all to set Lushkoff on the right path.

Q.60. Why did the Carters make fun of Lushkoff?
Ans. Sergei is moved into another house. He asked Lushkoff to pack and haul the furniture. But Lushkoff hardly touched the furniture. He looked sad, silent and gloomy. He walked behind the wagons hanging his head. He also shivered in the cold. So the Carters made fun of Lushkoff for his idleness, weakness and fancy overcoat.

Q.61. Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Ans. Sergei played a very important role in improving the condition of the beggar. It was because of Sergei that Lushkoff could earn thirty-five roubles a month. He offered him the job of chopping wood at his home. Later on, he sent him to one of his friends to do the job of copying. Lushkoff was highly obliged to Sergei as now he was a notary because of him.

Q.62. How did Sergei feel for treating Lushkoff harshly?
Ans. Sergei was an advocate. He must have followed some humane approach to reform Lushkoff. But he gave Lushkoff some kind of physically hard work that was to chop the wood for him. This task was not fit for a drunken and sick man. Besides, the weather was very cold. As it was an unjustful task for Lushkoff, Sergei felt ashamed of his act.

Q.63. How did Olga bring a change in Lushkoff?
Ans. Olga was a cook. She was a kind lady. She knew that Lushkoff was not able to do hard work. In her treatment with Lushkoff, she was harsh and tough from above and kind inside. She herself chopped wood for him, which changed his heart. As a result, Lushkoff stopped drinking and became a good man.

Q.64. What did the beggar tell Sergei? Why did Sergei threaten to call the police?
Ans. The beggar told Sergei that he had an offer of a job in the province of Kaluga. But he had no money to go there. He further said that he felt ashamed of asking. But he did so because of adverse circumstances. Sergei had seen him earlier. Then he told him that he was an expelled student. So he got angry with him and threatened to call the police.

Q.65. How did Lushkoff express his sense of gratitude to Sergei?
Ans. Lushkoff thanked Sergei greatly. He said that if he hadn’t come to him, he would still have been calling himself a teacher or a student. He said that by coming to him he had taken himself out of the pit. He expressed his sincere thanks to Olga.

Q.66. Why did Sergei call Lushkoff his ‘godson’?
Ans. When Sergei met Lushkoff for the first time, Lushkoff was wearing ragged clothes. Sergei took him to Olga who made him work. After two years, Sergei is surprised to find Lushkoff working for a notary for 35 roubles a month. This makes Sergei very happy and calls him his ‘godson’.