Class 10th

Class 10 English Chapter 11 The Proposal Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Which qualities are common in all three characters of the play ‘The Proposal’?

Answer: All the characters in the play are argumentative, full of pride and possessiveness. They are always ready to argue for petty things.

Question 2. How does Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? What for does he come? How is he received? 

Answer: Lomov came to Chubukov’s house in the evening dress with gloves on. He cames to propose to his daughter Natalya. He is received with all the respect by Chubukov.

Question 3. How does Chubukov react when Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter?

Answer: When Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter, Chubukov gets off balanced with joy. He embraces and kisses Lomov, sheds a tear of joy and calls for God’s blessing for Lomov and Natalya.

Question 4. Why did Lomov want to get married?

Answer: Lomov wanted to gel. married as he was already 35 years old. Moreover, he was suffering due to a weak heart and sleep- sickness and wanted company of someone to look after him.

Question 5. What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?

Answer: When Lomov is in an excited state his heart beat increases, lips tremble and there is a twitch in his right eyebrow. When he goes to sleep in such a state something pulls him from his left side and he jumps like a lunatic

Question 6. How does Natalya excite Lomov to the point of verbal fighting?

Answer: Natalya repeatedly insisted that Oxen Meadows are theirs and told Lomov that upto now she considered Lomov as a good neighbour and friend. This excited Lomov to the point of verbal fighting.

Question 7. How does Lomov react when Chubukov says that he is not used to misbehaviour by a young man like Lomov?

Answer: Lomov reacts by saying that Chubukov thinks that he is a fool. He says that he cannot talk to him calmly and politely as he is making a false claim to his property. He further accuses Chubukov of being a grabber.

Question 8. Why does Natalya ask her father Chubukov to fetch Lomov in at once? Why does she accuse her father?

Answer: Natalya asked her father to fetch Lomov at once as she had come to know that Lomov had come to propose her. She accused Chubukov of driving Lomov out of their home.

Question 9. How does Natalya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose? 

Answer: When Natalya cames to know that Lomov had come there to propose her she was shocked. She wails, changes her stance and asks her father to fetch Lomov.

Question 10. What does Lomov think when he is alone?

Answer: Lomov thinks that Natalaya is an excellent housekeeper, not bad looking, well educated. It is impossible for him not to marry. In the first place, he is already thirty-five. He ought to lead a quiet and regular life. He suffers from palpitations. He is excitable and always getting upset. There are some other problems too which trouble him.

Question 11. Why does Lomov wish to propose to Natalaya?

Answer: Lomov wishes to propose to Natalaya because he feels she is an excellent housekeeper, not bad looking, and is also well-educated. Moreover, he feels that he is already thirty-five, which is a critical age and he ought to lead a regular and settled life.

Question 12. Justify, in brief, the title of the play “The Proposal”.

Answer: The title of the play “The Proposal” is apt. Lomov comes to Chubukov’s house to propose to his daughter. He talks to Chubukov about his intention and the old man is very happy to have Lomov as the husband of this ageing daughter. When Natalaya comes and there begins an argument. It reminds us of a married couple.

Question 13. Who is Lomov? Why does he visit Chubukov?

Answer: Lomov was a young wealthy landowner and an unmarried man of thirty-five. He was anxious to get married as he had already reached a critical age. So he decided to propose Natalaya, a girl of twenty-five years old. He visited Chubukov to ask for his daughter Natalaya’s hand in marriage.

Question 14. How does Natalaya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose for her hand?

Answer: When she knows that Lomov came to propose to her, she starts weeping. She calls her father to bring him back at once. He has gone out after the quarrel. She also accuses Chubukov that he drove Lomov out. She becomes hysterical.

Question 15. What makes Chubukov misunderstand the purpose of Lomov’s visit?

Answer: Chubukov misunderstands that Lomov has come to borrow money. He does not reveal his purpose of coming directly instead he says that he has come to trouble him with a request for help.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. The principle ‘forgive and forget’, helps a lot in maintaining cordial relations with our neighbors. Do you think Anton Chekov conveys this message in the play ‘The Proposal’?

Answer: Anton Chekov does convey the message that the principle of ‘forgive and forget’ helps a lot in -maintaining cordial relationship with one’s neighbours. Initially, the neighbours in the play, Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov were fighting over petty issues. They were putting important issues behind them and wasting their time by arguing over small things. These arguments slowly developed into fights and they started hurling abuses at one another. This damaged their relationship with each other.

It was when Natalya came to know that Lomov had come to propose her that she left the topic of argument (Oxen Meadows) behind. She also asked for forgiveness from Lomov and requested him to come to the point. Hence it is mandatory to ‘forgive and forget’ if one wants to have cordial relationship with others.

Question 2. Based on your understanding of the Play ‘The Proposal’ how do you think good relationships can be maintained? Why in today’s time we see so many people going away from each other?

Answer: The play ‘The Proposal’ teaches us how anger and arguments can easily ruin a relationship. Thus to maintain a good relationship, it is important to have a control over your anger. Having arguments over unimportant or small issues is extremely harmful and a waste of time. If someone commits a mistake, one should be ready to forgive and forget rather than being angry and arguing with the person endlessly. In today’s time people try to find only the positives in others and do not easily accept their negatives. Hence is becoming extremely difficult to maintain a good and cordial relationship with others.

Question 3. It is a common observance that more attention is paid to unimportant issues at the cost of important ones. The play ‘The Proposal’ beautifully portrays this fact. Suggest some steps how we can avoid this unhealthy practice.

Answer: It is true to an extent that people usually give more importance to the unimportant issues forgetting their priorities. Just like how Lomov came to propose Natalya but due to their argument that matter was left unaddressed. Thus, it becomes very important to set your priorities in life. One must ignore the unimportant issues. It is a waste of time to have discussions over them. One’ should not pay too much attention on the trivialities. This energy can be saved on spending it over some useful and important issues that gives a fruitful result.

Question 4. Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not have. Describe the first fight between them.

Answer: Lomov and Natalya meet and rather than proposing her he gets off the point. He tells her how he inherited his land and how he respects her father. He also tells Natalya that his Oxen meadows touch Natalya’s Birchwood. On hearing this, Natalya says that Oxen Meadows are theirs. They start arguing about it. Lomov clarifies that he is talking about the Oxen Meadows that are between her Birchwoods and Burnt marsh. Natalya again insists that they are theirs.
Lomov refuses it. He tells her that his aunt’s grandmother gave those meadows to her father’s grand father. The peasants used the land for forty years and started regarding it as their own. Natalya’s father comes and also starts quarreling with Lomov. They get into a heated argument and resort to name-calling. After some time, Lomov leaves their house.

Class 10 English Chapter 10 The Sermon at Benares Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Why did Prince Siddhartha leave the palace and become a beggar?  

Answer: Once Prince Siddhartha, while hunting saw a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession and finally a monk begging for alms. Looking at this, he left the palace and became a beggar to search for enlightenment.

Question 2. What do you know about the early life of Buddha?

Answer: Gautama Buddha was born in a royal family. His childhood name was Siddhartha. At the age of 12, he was sent away for schooling in Hindu sacred scriptures and four years later he got married to a princess.

Question 3. Where did Buddha preach his first sermon?

Answer: Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, which is regarded as the holiest of the bathing places on the river Ganges.

Question 4. How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a process?     

Answer: Kisa Gotami went from house to house but was unable to find one house where nobody had died. She was tired and hopeless and sat down at the wayside watching the lights of the city as they flickered up and were extinguished again. She realised that similar to the city lights human lives also flicker up for some time and are extinguished again.

Question 5. What was the effect of the sufferings of the world on Buddha?

Answer: At the age of 25, while hunting, one day Buddha saw a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession and finally a monk begging for alms. These moved him so much that he went out into the world to seek enlightenment.

Question 6. According to c what is the greatest grief of life?

Answer: According to Kisa Gotami, the greatest grief in life is the death of one’s loved ones and one’s inability to stop them from dying. Therefore, instead of lamenting on it, the wise should not grieve. Weeping will only increase the pain and disturb the peace of mind of a person

Question 7. Why was Kisa Gotami sad? What did she do in her hour of grief?

Answer: Kisa Gotami was sad over the death of her only son. In the hour of grief, she went door to door in order to find medicine for her son that could bring him to life.

Question 8. What did the Buddha do after he had attained enlightenment?

Answer: When Buddha Attained enlightenment, he started preaching and telling people about life and its meaning. He spread his preaching far and wide so that people

Question 9. How did Gautama come to be known as the Buddha?

Answer: Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a Peepal tree till he got enlightenment. After seven days of enlightenment, he renamed the ‘Bodhi Tree’ and began to teach and to share his new understanding and came to be known as the Buddha.

Question 10. How did Buddha get enlightenment?

Answer: Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a Peepal tree till he got enlightenment. After seven days of enlightenment, he renamed the ‘Bodhi Tree’ and began to teach and to share his new understanding and came to be known as the Buddha.

Question 11. Why did the Buddha choose Benares to preach his first sermon?

Answer: The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares. This city is regarded as the most holy of the dipping places of the River Ganga. That sermon has been preserved. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about one kind of suffering which cannot be understood.

Question 12. What did Kisa Gotami say to Buddha? What reply did he give to her?

Answer: Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha and asked him to give her the medicine to make her son alive. The Buddha asked her to bring him a handful of mustard seed. It should be brought from a house where no one had died.

Question 13. Why was Kisa Gotami sad? What did she do in her grief?

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s only son died and she was full of grief. She carried the dead son to all her neighbours. She asked them for medicine so that her son can be alive again. The people remarked that she had lost her senses.

Question 14. What did Kisa Gotami do after the Buddha had asked her for a handful of mustard seed?

Answer: Kisa Gotami went from house to house to get a handful of mustard seed. People gave her the mustard seed. But when she asked if anyone had died in their family, they regretfully told her that the livings were few, but the deads were many. Kisa Gotami found no house where someone had not died.

Question 15. What did the Buddha want to explain to Kisa Gotami?

Answer: The Buddha wanted to explain to Kisa Gotami that man cannot get peace of mind by grieving. On the contrary, his pain will be greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale. A man who overcomes all sorrows will be free from sorrow and will be blessed.

Question 16. Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to house?

Answer: Kisa Gotami was a lady who lived in Benares. Her only son had died and she could not’bear it. She went from house to house to cure his dead son. Someone told him about the Buddha and she reached him to cure his dead son.

Question 17. What was the basic idea of the Buddha’s preaching?

Answer: The basic idea of the Buddha’s preaching was that death is the ultimate truth of life. It is that every living being has to die one day. No one can escape from death. Grief cannot console anyone. We must accept this universal truth.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami also passes through a period of grief in her life. How does she behave in those circumstances?   

Answer: After the death of Kisa Gotami’s only child, she became very sad. She carried her dead child to her neighbours in order to get medicine to bring him to life. Her neighbours thought that she had gone insane as she was unable to accept the fact that. It was then that someone suggested her to meet Gautama Buddha. When she met Gautama Buddha he gave her an exercise to do.She was asked to collect mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever died. She went from one house to another but was unable to find a single house where no one has died. This way she realised that death is a part of life and anyone who is born is bound to die one day. Thus, Buddha changed her understanding of death by this exercise. could come to terms with the truth.

Question 2. Personal losses are a part and parcel of life. Instead of wailing on them, we should move on in life. This message of Gautama Buddha has become more relevant in modern times. Do you agree? Why /why not? 

Answer: Yes, I agree with the message that Gautama Buddha has given about life. In the modem times, people have a lot to explore and move with the world at the same pace. If people don’t understand the practicality of life, they will be under stress which would in turn affects, their personal and professional lives. People need to understand that everyone who is born will have to die one day. There is no use being sad or crying over the loss. People should remain calm and composed in such situations. They should face the truth and move on in life.

Question 3. What did Buddha say about death and suffering?

Answer: After enlightenment, Buddha started to spread his teachings about life, truth and the likes of it. He told that death and suffering are the part and parcel of life. None can avoid this truth. One has to meet one’s destined end one day. Whoever has come to the world, will die one day. In the hour of grief, one must remain calm and composed so that grief doesn’t overcome one. People who are wise, never complain or lament over their loss. They accept the truth and be blessed with it. So, the wisdom lies in the fact that people should not get distressed with pain, suffering and death.

Class 10 English Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Who was Valli?

Answer: Valli was the short name of Valliamai. She was an eight year old girl who was very curious.

Question 2. What kind of a person was Valli?

Answer: Valli was a curious, keen observer who had strong will power and determination. She was bold, brave and self-respective! She had immense self confidence and wanted to do everything on her own. she was innocent, highly sensitive, intelligent and was a very careful planner.

Question 3. Why did Valli kept standing infront of the door?

Answer: Valli kept standing infront of the door as there were no playmates of her age on her street. So, she used to keep on watching the street outside her house.

Question 4. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street?

Answer: The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once coming back.

Question 5. Why did Valli want to ride on the bus?

Answer: Valli used to watch the bus on its hourly rounds through her street everyday. The sight of the bus filled with new passengers every time gave her unending joy. She was curious and wished to ride it once. So, she wanted to ride on the bus to enjoy it.

Question 6. How did Valli plan for her first journey?

Answer: Valli made careful and painstaking plans for her first journey. She saved every penny, cut down on her expenses and resisted all the temptations to save sixty paise for the fare. She gathered the information from the passengers and neighbours. She calculated the time required and chose afternoon, as her mother would take a nap during that time. All this shows that she was a meticulous planner.

Question 7. What did Valli do after she got into the bus?

Answer: She got into the bus and she looked at everything very thoroughly. When she looked outside she found her view cut off by the canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So she stood upon the seat and peered over the blind.

Question 8. What did the Valli find when she entered her house after the ride from the bus?

Answer: Valli entered her house after the ride from the bus. Her mother was awake and talking to one of her aunts. She was from the South Street and was a real chatterbox. She would never close her mouth once she started talking.

Question 9. What did Valli see out of the window on her first journey?

Answer: Valli saw the nature’s grandeur out of the bus window. She saw the. green bank of a canal with the palm trees and mountains in the background and the blue sky. On the other side, she saw a deep ditch and green fields. She saw other vehicles, a young cow running in front of the bus. She later saw it dead.

Question 10. How did Valli arrange for her bus fare?

Answer: Valli arranged for her bus fare meticulously. For her first journey outside the village, Valli needed sixty paise to the two way fare of the bus. She needed some knowledge and ample time. She saved the money herself, collected the information from the passengers and utilized the time of her mother’s nap for it.

Question 11. Where was the town located? What was the fare to travel there by bus?

Answer: The town was located six miles from Valli’s village. The fare to travel to town by bus was thirty paise for one way.

Question 12. What did Valli kept on planning and calculating continuously?

Answer: Vails kept on planning and calculating which bus to take, how much time it will take to reach the town and the fare that would be required in completing her journey.

Question 13. How was the view outside the bus when it went through the canal?
Answer: On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields.

Question 14. Why did the conductor wanted Valli to sit?

Answer: The conductor initially told Valli that as she has paid for the ticket, she should sit. When she refused he told her that she may fall and hurt herself when the bus takes a sharp turn.

Question 15. Why didn’t Valli want to talk to the elderly woman?

Answer: The elderly woman was wearing ugly earrings and was chewing betel nut. The betel juice was about to seep out of her mouth. Valli found all this repulsive and hence did not wanted to talk to her

Question 16. What questions did the old woman ask Valli?

Answer: The old woman asked Valli if she was travelling alone. She also asked her whether she knew where exactly she had to go in the town.

Question 17. How did Valli manage to travel by bus without the knowledge of her mother?

Answer: Valli managed to travel by bus without the knowledge of her mother as she was asleep when Valli went out.

Question 18. How did Valli feel on seeing the dead cow on the road? 

Answer: Valli was filled with sadness. She thought what had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life and looked so horrible and frightening.

Question 19. What did Valli see when she reached home?

Answer: On reaching back home Valli saw that her mother was awake and talking to one of her aunts.

Question 20. What did Valli’s mother say about the things happening without her knowledge?

Answer: Valli’s mother said that so many things happen amidst us and in the world outside. We cannot know everything. When we know about something we often cannot understand it completely.

Question 21. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

Answer: Valli was a Tamil girl. She had no playmates. It was her favourite pastime to stand in the doorway of her house. Thus she was able to watch all that was going on there. In a way she had attained too many unusual experiences.

Question 22. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?

Answer: Valli was deeply attracted towards the bus. She had the strongest desire to ride in it. It travelled between Her village and the nearest town at an interval of an hour. The sight of the bus and passengers had been the source of unending joy for her.

Question 23. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?

Answer: The conductor was a jolly sort of fellow. He was much fond of joking. He had judged the temperament of this small child. It was only to please her, he called her Valli ‘madam’.

Question 24. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?

Answer: Valli stands up on her seat. She has a keen desire to see everything with her own eyes. So she starts to look outside. She sees that the bus is going along the bank of a canal. The road is very narrow. Beyond it were the palm trees, mountains and fields etc.

Question 25. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?

Answer: Valli was a very smart girl. She had a superiority complex in her mind. She did not want herself to be called a child. On hearing herself as a child, she answered that there was no child. She had paid thirty paise like everyone else.

Question 26. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?

Answer: By chance there came a young cow right in front of the running bus. The driver slowed it down. He sounded the horn very loudly time and again. But the more he honked, the more the cow was frightened and galloped faster. This made Valli laugh.

Question 27. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?

Answer: When the bus terminated at the bus station, Valli did not get off. The conductor asked her to get off. She replied that she would turn back by the same bus. She even refused to see the sights and the cold drink. She was afraid to move alone.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. In such a fast moving world when we hear so many incidents happening with people, do you think Valli did right by not telling her mother about the bus journey?

Answer: No, I don’t think that Valli did the right thing in travelling alone to the town without informing her mother. By doing this, she put herself in a vulnerable position as she could have easily been a victim of child abuse had she come in contact with wrong people. In fact, she was lucky to return home safely.

Children should always travel along with their parents or elders as they are easy targets for criminals. We hear a lot of instances of crime committed against children these days like kidnapping, child abuse, molestation, rape etc. Valli could have expressed her desire of travelling in the bus to her mother. I am sure that her mother would have fulfilled her wish by talking her on a bus ride.

Question 2. The people and surroundings are a great book to learn. Valli in the lesson ‘Madam Rides The Bus learns a lot from others. Mention the traits of her character which help her to learn from her surroundings.

Answer: Valli dreamt of riding on the bus. Her eagerness to fulfill her dream fired her curiosity. This curiousness led her to listen to the conversations of people going on the bus ride and asking discreet questions so that she could gather as much information as she can regarding the bus journey.

On the bus journey, Valli acted confidently and behaved maturely. She did not consider herself to be any less than an adult. She was focused on fulfilling her dream and did not get tempted to go outside the bus and explore the town when the bus reached the town.

On the return journey, she learnt about death when she came to terms with the dead cow. This made her aware of the fact that death is a part of life and should be accepted as it is a natural phenomenon. Thus, the bus journey made her learn a lot of things.

Question 3. Age is not a barrier when it comes to doing something different and great. Which characteristics of Valli help her achieve the wonder of visiting the town at such a tender age?   

Answer: In today’s era, age is no more a barrier. Children are doing wonders at a very young age. Same goes with Valli. At an age of 8 years, Valli was able to pursue her dream all alone by travelling in the bus to town. She was no different from others, except that she had certain characteristics that made her fulfil her dreams. Valli was a very confident and a bold girl. She had a knowledge of proper planning and execution. She controlled her wishes to save money for the bus ride. Also, she was a very good observer and learner. All these qualities made her realise the dream of visiting the town. Hence, one should always remember that there is no age to learn and experience new things.

Question 4. What kind of person is Valli? Illustrate your answer from the text that you have read.  

Answer: Valli was a determined, confident and brave girl. She was also a good planner and executioner. She sacrificed a lot of things to achieve her dream. For example, she curbed the temptation to buy sweets and riding on the merry-go-round in the fair so that she could save money for the bus ride. Sacrificing all these things at such a tender age is very difficult for a child. She also behaved confidently in the bus and did not get bobbed down in the presence of elders.
When the bus reached the town, Valli did not succumb to the temptation of going out to explore the town or having a drink. She did this as she had a limited amount of money which she wanted to save for her return journey. So, Valli used her money wisely. When the conductor offered her a drink, she showed good manners in refusing to have it.

Class 10 English Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. How was Mij to be transported to England?

Answer: The British Airline to England would not fly animals. So, Maxwell booked a flight to Paris on another airline and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square. Thus, Mij was transported to England in that box, which was kept on the floor at his feet.

Question 2. What happened when the box was opened?

Answer: When the box was opened, Mij went out of the box. He disappeared at a high speed down the aircraft. There were cries all around. A woman stood up on her seat crying, “A rat! A rat!”.

Question 3. Why did Maxwell get his mail after five days and what did he do to get it?  

Answer: Maxwell got his mail after 5 days due to some delay. He cabled and tried to telephone in order to get his mail.

Question 4. What did the otter look like?

Answer: The otter looked like a small dragon belonging to the middle ages. It was covered with symmetrical pointed scales of mud. One could see between the scales a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole.

Question 5. What did Mijbil do during the second night?

Answer: Mijbil came on to Maxwell’s bed soon after midnight. It remained asleep in the crook of his knees until the morning.

Question 6. What, according to the writer, is the real play’ of the otter?

Answer: The real play of an otter is lying on his back and juggling with small objects between his paws. Mijbil would roll two or more marbles up and down on his wide, fat belly. He never dropped one to the floor.

Question 7. Why was the narrator not able to communicate when there was a delay in the arrival of the mail?

Answer: The narrator was not able to contact because the telephone lines had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the second day, the exchange was closed for a religious reason; and on the third day, there was a breakdown.

Question 8. What was the first characteristic of the otter discovered by the narrator? 

Answer: The first thing that the narrator observed about the otter was that he liked to play with water. When he was taken to the bathroom, for half an hour he went wild in the water with joy. He was plunging, jumping and rolling in the water.

Question 9. How did Mij spend his time?

Answer: Mij spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling the rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player. His real play was when he used to juggle small objects between his paws. Marbles were his favourite toy for his pastime.

Question 10. While staying in London, what was the pastime of Mij?

Answer: While staying in London, Mijbil would play for hours with his own selection of toys. His favburite toys were ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit and a terrapin shell that the narrator had bought from his native marshes.

Question 11. How did Mij behave outside the house in London?

Answer: Mij used to follow the narrator while walking on the streets. He developed certain habits during those walks. He went with him like children playing, running and touching things in the street. He would take the author near the wall of a primary school and then gallop on it.

Question 12. What special characteristic of Mijbil did Maxwell learn after he took it to the bathroom?

Answer: When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, he learnt that he went wild with joy in water, plunging and rolling in it and splashed water.

Question 13. Why did the writer stay in Basra?

Answer: The writer and his friend were going to Basra to the Consulate—General to collect and answer their mails. They found that the mail of his friend was available but the author had to stay in Basra for five days.

Question 14. What did the otter look like?

Answer: The otter looked like a very small dragon. Its appearance was very pretty. It was coated with pointed scales of mud on its back. It spread mud all round.

Question 15. How did Maxwell get the otter?

Answer: Maxwell wanted to keep an otter as a pet instead of dog. He expressed his wish before his friend who managed to get an otter and sent it to Maxwell through two Arabs. Thus, Maxwell got his tamed otter.

Question 16. What happened when Maxwell decided to transport Mijbil to England by air?

Answer: When Maxwell decided to transport Mijbil to England, Mijbil was kept into a box. He tore off the box and wounded himself. Then Mijbil disappeared down the aircraft, terrorizing the other passengers. After that, he settled on Maxwell’s knee and gave no further inconvenience to others.

Question 17. What game did Mijbil invent?

Answer: Mijbil discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end of the damaged suitcase, it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would dash around to the other end to ambush its arrival, hide from it,. crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.

Question 18. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mijbil was?

Answer: The writer was not surprised to know that the Londoners could not recognize an otter. They thought he was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard.

Question 19. What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Answer: Maxwell was staying in a cottage in Camusfearna. There was a lot of water around the cottage. He thought to have an otter as a pet instead of a dog. An otter likes flowing water. So the author thought that Camusfearna would be suitable spot for that experiment.

Question 20. How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this?

Answer: Maxwell expressed his desire to have an otter as a pet to his friend. His friend kept it in mind and sent an otter through two

Question 21. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?

Answer: This race of animals was unknown to the scientists in the beginning. After its discovery it was christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell’s otter.

Question 22. What happened when the box was opened?

Answer: The airhostess suggested the author that he could keep the pet on his knee. The author opened the box. Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There was chaos all around in the plane.

Question 23. What game had Mij invented?

Answer: Mij had invented a game of his own with a ping-pong ball. During the journey, the suitcase of the author was damaged. It got a slope on one end. Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. In the name of rules and regulations, basic values are ignored but people like the airhostess in ‘Mijbil the Otter’ are a ray of hope. What virtues do we find in the airhostess?

Answer: The airhostess was somewhat friendly, and she allowed the narrator to place the otter on his lap. She could relate and empathise with the situation faced by the narrator. This shows that apart from being professional, she was a caring lady. She not only wanted to do her job but was also responsible as she helped the narrator in finding the otter back.
She did all that she could do for Maxwell and the otter. She was hard working and was ready to help as she did not say ‘no’ to help the narrator.

Question 2. The narrator called the airhostess the queen of her kind. This shows how caring and supportive she was. Do you find such people these days? Are people having a change in their values?

Answer: In today’s world, it is getting difficult to find people who show their care and support. Rather than helping others, they start giving excuses and quote rules and regulations. Earlier, people used to think about the situation faced by others and helped them in all possible ways.

This is changing because of the change in the values of the people. People give first priority to their own safety and security. They care for themselves first and then think about others.

Question 3. Why do you think the otter was not friendly at first with the narrator? Can you relate this to the human nature as well?    

Answer: At first, the otter was not very friendly with the narrator as he had seen him for the first time. He was brought to a new place and new surroundings. He neither knew the narrator nor the place which made him stay away from the narrator. But, as soon as he started becoming comfortable with the surroundings, he became friendly and came close to the narrator.

This is very similar to the human nature. Even, the human beings first take time to understand others and then only become friendly with them. Unless they are comfortable in being with somebody, they try to stay away from that person.

Question 4. Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?

Answer: He goes the Basra to the Consulate General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. His mail did not arrive in time. He cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, he tried to telephone. The call had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of order; on the second day, exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day there was another breakdown. His mail arrived five days later. He had to wait for five days.

Question 5. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?

Answer: When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting pp and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo. Two days after, Mijbil escaped from the bedroom and entered the bathroom. He struggled with the chromium tap till it had a full flow.

Question 6. How was Mij to be transported to England?

Answer: The British airline to London did not permit to fly animals. The author had to book a flight to Paris on another airline. The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square. The author acted accordingly and transported Mij to England.

Question 7. What did Mij do to the box?

Answer: The author put Mij into the box an hour before he started for the airport so that Mij would become accustomed to it and left for a meal. When he came back he found complete silence in the box. He saw blood stains around the airholes. Mij had tom the lining of the box to shreds. He got himself hurt.

Question 8. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?

Answer: Maxwell put the otter back in the box because he was already late for the airport. It was just ten minutes time for the flight, and the airport was five miles distant. He felt bad in doing so. He did not want to keep the’miserable otter in the box but there was no other option due to time constraint.

Question 9. Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?

Answer: The author told the airhostess about the incident that took place half an hour before at home and took her into his confidence. The airhostess was a considerate lady. She cooperated with the author and suggested him to keep his pet on his knee. This made the author call her “the very queen of her kind”.

Class 10 English Chapter 7 Tea from Assam Important Questions

Tea from Assam
Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Where were Rajvir and Pranjol going and why?

Answer: Rajvir and Pranjol were going to Assam as Pranjol had invited Rajvir to spend summer vacation there.

Question 2. What did Rajvir see while looking outside from the train?

Answer: Rajvir saw much greenery while looking outside from the train. He was amazed to see the soft: green paddy fields first and then the green tea bushes.

Question 3. ‘This is a tea country now’. Explain this with reference to Assam.

Answer: Assam has the world’s largest concentration of tea plantations in the world. A large number of tea gardens can be found there. Most of the tea grown in Assam is supplied all over the world.

Question 4. In what ways is China related to tea?

Answer: Tea was first drunk in China. The words ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from Chinese.

Question 5. Why did Pranjol’s father say that Rajvir had done his homework before visiting Assam?

Answer: Rajvir was very excited about visiting the tea garden and thus, he studied a lot about it before visiting the tea garden. Thus, Pranjol’s father said that Rajvir had already done his homework before visiting Assam.

Question 6. Which Chinese story did Rajvir tell about the discovery of tea?

Answer: There was a Chinese story about tea. It was said that there was a Chinese emperor. He always drank boiled water. Once while boiling the water, some leaves of the burning twigs fell into the pot. The boiled water gave a delicious flavour. They were tea-leaves.

Question 7. Where was Rajvir going? Why?

Answer: Rajvir was going to Pranjol’s house in Assam. Pranjol has invited him to spend the summer vacations with him at his house. Moreover, Rajvir was interested to know about the tea gardens in Assam. So he was going to Assam.

Question 8. What excited Rajvir? Why did Pranjol not share his excitement?

Answer: Rajvir had never seen the tea garden before. So the sight of tea garden excited him. But Pranjol has been born and brought up in the tea plantations. He had seen them many times. So he did not share Rajvir’s excitement.

Long Answer Type Question

Question 1. According to the text, Assam is said to be ‘tea country’. Do you believe that Assam has some of the best plantations in the world that makes it a unique country?

Answer: In India, some of the best plantations like tea and coffee are grown in huge quantities. India is also a home to many spices like haldi and while Assam is home to tea, Coorg is home to coffee. Others which are grown exclusively in India and exported to various countries. These plantations make India a unique country which has not just traditional spices and beverage plants growing within it but also follows traditional agricultural practices.

Question 2. Narrate the story of a Buddhists monk behind the discovery of tea?

Answer: There was a Buddhist monk story about tea. A Buddhist ascetic was busy in his meditation for God. By chance he fell asleep and his meditation broke. He did not like it. In a state of anger, he cut his eyelids and threw them on the earth. There appeared tea plants out of these eyelids. Then these leaves were put in the hot water. When people drank the hot water, it banished their sleep. In the beginning it was drunk as a medicine rather than a beverage.

Question 3. What are the legends of the discovery of tea?
OR
What are the various legends regarding the origin of tea?

Answer: There are two legends about the discovery of tea. According to one story, it was the Chinese emperor who discovered it accidentally. He always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of plants fell into the boiling water which gave it a delicious taste. It is said that they were tea leaves. The emperor started their use in boiling water. Another Indian legend says that an ancient Buddhist ascetic cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditation. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep. Thus, tea came into existence.

Question 4. Based on your reading of the chapter “Tea From Assam”, write a paragraph on the topic “Importance of Tea in India”.
OR
You know that everybody drinks tea everyday in India. It banishes our sleep and makes us feel fresh. Describe the ‘importance of tea in India’.

Answer: Today all people drink tea every day in India. But the quantity of tea differs from person to person. Life in an Indian house starts with a refreshing cup of tea. India has now surpassed China in tea production. India is one of the largest tea producers in the world. 70 per cent of its tea is consumed within India. Assam and Darjeeling produced world renowned tea. Tea became widely popular in India during 1950s Tea industry is the second largest employer in the country. It is grown in many states in India. Tea plants need shade to grow besides humid climate. It is a labour oriented industry. Tea has a number of medical and therapeutic properties.

Question 5. What are the various stories regarding the origin of tea?

Answer: There was a Chinese story about tea. It was said that there was a Chinese emperor. He always drank boiled water. Once while boiling the water, some leaves of the burning twigs fell into the pot. The boiled water gave a delicious flavour. They were tea-leaves.

There was a Buddhist monk story about tea. A Buddhist ascetic was busy in his meditation for God. By chance he fell asleep and his meditation broke. He did not like it. In a state of anger, he cut his eyelids and threw them on the earth. There appeared tea plants out of these eyelids. Then these leaves were put in the hot water. When people drank the hot water, it banished their sleep. In the beginning it was drunk as a medicine rather than a beverage.

Class 10 English Chapter 7 Coorg Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Where is Coorg situated?

Answer: Coorg is situated between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore in Karnataka state.

Question 2. What is Coorg famous for?

Answer: Coorg is famous for water sports, rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking.

Question 3. Which story shows that Coorgis are of Greek descent?

Answer: A story narrates that a part of Alexander’s Army moved south along the coast and settled at Coorg when their return became impractical. These people married the locals and became inhabitants of this place.

Question 4. From whom have the inhabitants of Coorg descended, as per the legend?

Answer: As per the legend, a part of Alexander’s army, when retreating from India, went South and settled in Coorg when they found that they could not return home. Then they married among the locals and their descendants are the Kodavus. (the people of Coorg).

Question 5. How has the Coorgi tradition of courage and bravery recognised in modern India?

Answer: The Coorgi tradition of courage and bravery has been recognised by awarding the Coorg Regiment with the most number of gallantry awards. Besides, the Coorgis are the only Indians allowed to carry firearms without a licence.

Question 6. Describe the wildlife of Coorg.

Answer: The wildlife of Coorg consists of animals like macaques, langurs, squirrels, loris and elephants. The birds spotted in Coorg are kingfishers.

Question 7. Describe any two tourist places of Coorg.

Answer: The climb of Brahmagiri hills brings into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the 64 acres island of Nisargadhama.

Question 8. How can one reach Coorg?

Answer: One can reach Coorg either by road, air or rail. There are two routes from Bangalore. The route via Mysore is frequented one. The other route is Neelamangal, Kurigal and Chanrayanapatna.

Question 9. Describe Coorg’s weather. When is it most pleasant for the tourists to visit Coorg?

Answer: The weather of Coorg is pleasant during the months from September to March. During that time, the weather is perfect with some showers thrown in for good measure. During the monsoon, it receives heavy rainfall.

Question 10. What are the various adventure sports available in Coorg?

Answer: The various adventures sports available in Coorg to the tourists who visit Coorg are river rafting, canoeing, rappelling or going down a cliff by slidding down a rope, rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking.

Question 11. Why is the climb to the Brahmagiri hills an important part of a visit to Coorg?

Answer: The climb to the Brahmgiri hills offers the panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. Besides, it leads to Nisargadhama and then, to Bylakuppe; the hidden surprises for the visitors. Thus, it is important to climb the Brahmagiri hills while visiting Coorg.

Question 12. Write two characteristics of people of Coorg?

Answer: The people of Coorg are fiercely independent and brave. Coorgi houses have a tradition of hospitality. The Coorg regiment is the most decorated one in the Indian Army. They feel proud sharing the courageous works of their sons and fathers.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. The Coorgis are the descendants of the Greeks or the Arabs and are still are able to maintain their traditional practices. Do you agree that following these practices today is important? Why or why not?

Answer: After reading the text, I feel that it is important to follow the traditional practices, as it has kept the tradition of Coorgis known to the people even today. If the people of Coorg had not followed it their tradition would have perished and nobody would have remembered themloday because of their culture and traditional practices. According to the text, their traditions can be seen in the martial traditions, religious rites and marriages. The Kodavus even wear the dress which resembles Arabs. Traditional practices also play a very important role in maintaining values amongst people and have an impact on shaping the behaviour of people.

Question 2. How do Coorg’s location, people and natural features add to the diversity of India? 

Answer: Coorg is beautifully located and described as a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of God. It has rolling hillsides with a pollution free river and forests teeming with wildlife. Here nature exists in its pristine glory, which adds to the diversity of India. Further, it has coffee and spice plantations, quite different from the rest of India. The local people, the Kodavus, are a martial race. Of course, they are well known for their hospitality, just like all Indians. All these features of Coorg add to the diversity of our country.

Class 10 English Chapter 7 A Baker from Goa Important Questions

A Baker from Goa
Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Why is the baker essential for the Goan people?

Answer: Most of the celebrations and festivals need supply of bread so the baker’s furnace is essential for the Goan people.

Question 2. What did the baker do first once he reached a house?

Answer: The baker would first greet the lady of the house by saying “Good Morning”. He would then place the basket on the vertical bamboo and deliver the loaves to the servant.

Question 3. How did the baker make his entry?

Answer: The baker used to enter with the Jingling sound of his specially made bamboo staff. His one hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground.

Question 4. How do we get to know that the makers of bread still exist?

Answer: The narrator states that the eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. He further says that those age old, time tested furnaces still exist and the fire in the furnaces had not yet been extinguished.

Question 5. What is the importance of breads for the Goans?
or
Why was the Baker’s furnace essential in a traditional Goan village?

Answer: Different kinds of breads are important during the different occasions. Bolinhas had to be prepared during Christmas and other festivals. The mothers used to prepare sandwiches on the occasion of their daughter’s engagement. So, the baker’s furnace was essential.

Question 6. Describe the dress of the bakers.

Answer: The bakers had a peculiar dress earlier known as the kabai. It was a one piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

Question 7. Why did the baker and his family always look happy and prosperous?

Answer: The baker used to collect his bills at the end of the month. Baking was indeed a profitable business in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. Their plump physique was an open testimony that they were happy and prosperous.

Question 8. Why would the children run to meet and greet the baker?

Answer: The jingling thud of the baker’s bamboo would wake up the children from their sleep. They would run to meet and greet him to get bread bangles or sometimes sweet bread of special make.

Question 9. What indicates the presence of the ‘patters’ still in Goa?

Answer: The presence of the ‘paders’ in Goa even today is indicated by the fact that still there are mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Moreover, those age-old time-tested furnaces still exist.

Question 10. What would the baker do after his musical entry?

Answer: The baker would greet the lady of the house with ‘good morning’ and then place his basket on the bamboo after his musical entry.

Question 11. How did the pader treat the kids who surrounded him?

Answer: The pader treated the kids who surrounded him, very kindly he would push them aside with a mild rebuke.

Question 12. Was baking a profitable profession?

Answer: Yes, baking was really a profitable profession as the bread was an important part of the food of the Goan people. The bakers earned well and kept servants. Their families looked happy and prosperous. They never starved.

Question 13. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer: The elders in Goa are much fond of loaves of bread. Those were the Portuguese days and the people liked the breads of different types very much.

Question 14. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer: Bread-making is still popular in Goa. We can see the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Most of their festivals and other occasions will become meaningless without the loaves of the bread. The ladies of the house prepare sandwiches on the occasion of their daughter’s engagement.

Question 15. When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer: The baker would come at least twice a day. The morning was his selling round and he returned after selling them. Children ran to meet and greet him because they needed bread bangles from him. They also got sweet bread of special make.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Instead of enjoying their childhood, the children today are keen to enter adulthood. After reading about all the joys that the author Lucio Rodrigues had in his childhood do you think such a keenness on the part of children is desirable?

Answer: I don’t think that the keenness of the children these days to enter adulthood is desirable. Children these days are in a hurry to enter adulthood and have access to technology. Due to this they are learning things earlier than usual and getting matured beyond their age.

Hence, they are losing out their childhood and missing the joys that it brings with it. As per my thinking, they should grow at a slow pace and enjoy their childhood to the fullest. Children who miss out on their childhood cannot be a complete adult. So, they should not hurry up to be an adult and grow at nature’s pace.

Question 2. After reading the story ‘A Baker from Goa”, do you think our traditions, heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us? Why/why not? 

Answer: ‘A Baker from Goa’ highlights the importance of the traditional practice of making breads for every occasion and festival of the Goan people. This tradition continues even today. This shows how our traditional practices can keep us to our past and heritage.

Traditional values shape our personality and also provide us emotional support. They enable us to face difficult situations and makes us mentally strong. Traditional practices also have an impact on our behavioural pattern towards the other people in society.

Question 3. ‘During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide.’ What does this statement imply in relation tofhe character of the baker?

Answer: This statement tells us that the baker was a very respected person in the Goan society because he would guide the children about good behaviour (when he mildly rebuked them for peeping into his basket and giving respect to the elders (when he wished “Good morning” to the lady of the house) etc. He was very informal with the children and so the author considered him as a friend and companion. He was not simply a vendor interested in selling what he made. Thus, he was an important character in the Goan society of those days.

Class 10 English Chapter 6 The Hundred Dresses Part 2 Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. State the reason behind the letter of Mr Petronski, Wanda’s father?

Answer: Mr Petronski, Wanda’s father wrote the letter because he was upset to know about what all his daughter had to go through because of her strange name.

Question 2. What do you think about Wanda’s-action of not coming to school anymore?

Answer: Wanda never replied to anyone against their misbehaviour. But due to insult she faced, she decided not to come to school anymore. It was very mature of her age to teach them lesson without any argument.

Question 3. How did Peggy and Maddie try to amend for their behaviour towards Wanda? 

Answer: Both Peggy and Maddie decided to change their behaviour as Peggy had tried to justify that it was not her dress for which she teased her. Maddie decided not to be a mute spectator and promised herself that she would try to protect if anyone would be mocked down.

Question 4. What impression do you form of Wanda Petronski on the basis of reading the lesson ‘The Hundred Dresses’?  
(or)
What kind of a girl was Wanda Petronski?

Answer: Wanda Petronski was a polish girl who was very simple. She used to keep herself calm and silent in every condition and never reacted when Peggy teased her and took it lightly. She always replied everyone with a smile. She even gifted her drawings to Peggy and Maddie which showed her innocent and loving behaviour.

Question 5. Why did Maddie rush to Peggy’s house while gazing at the drawing?

Answer: Maddie rushed to Peggy’s house while gazing at the drawing because she had seen her face in the drawing and wanted to confirm about Peggy for the same.

Question 6. Why did Peggy and Maddie assume that Wanda had received their letter?

Answer: Peggy and Maddie assumed that Wanda had received their letter because in her letter to Miss Mason, Wanda requested her to gift her drawings to both of them.

Question 7. Why did Maddie have sleepless nights?

Answer: Maddie had sleepless nights because she was very upset about what all had happened and couldn’t amend her behaviour towards Wanda as she had shifted to some other city.

Question 8. What did the children of room thirteen do on the Christmas eve?

Answer: The children of room thirteen decorated their room with great love and affection. They decorated it with Christmas bells and a christmas tree.

Question 9. Why was there no reply of the letter written to Wanda by the girls? 

Answer: The girls, Maddie and Peggy, didn’t receive any reply from Wanda either because of her anger towards them or because they wrote the address of her old house in Boggins heights and not of her new house.

Question 10. What did Peggy say to Maddie when they did not find her at Boggins Heights?

Answer: Peggy told Maddie that Wanda had won because of her teasing that inspired her to draw such beautiful dresses otherwise, she would not have been able to win the contest.

Question 11. What did Mr Petronski’s letter say?

Answer: Mr Petronski’s letter said that Wanda would not come to school anymore. Now they were moving to a big city where no one would ask about her funny name.

Question 12. How does Maddie feel after listening to the note from Wanda’s father?

Answer: Maddie feels very sad. She could not put her mind to her work. She had a very sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach.

Question 13. What excuses does Peggy think up for her behaviour? Why?

Answer: Peggy makes an excuse that she never called her a foreigner or made fun of her name. She says that she did not know that Wanda would feel hurt.

Question 14. What are Maddie’s thoughts as they go to Boggins Heights?

Answer: Maddie was thinking that she would tell Wanda they were sorry for their behaviour and ask her not to move away as everybody would be nice to her.

Question 15. Why did Mr Petronski write a letter to the school teacher?

Answer: Mr Petronski wrote a letter to the school teacher because the students of her class made fun of Wanda’s name and dress.

Question 16. What did Peggy and Maddie want to say to Wanda after meeting her?

Answer: Peggy and Maddie wanted to say sorry for their behaviour. They hoped that Wanda would not have left the school/city and they would meet her at Boggins Heights.

Question 17. What happened when Maddie and Peggy recognised Wanda’s house?

Answer: There was no one in the house. Peggy knocked at the door. But she could not get any answer. Peggy repeated it but all in vain. After this they were confirmed that there was no one in the house.

Question 18. What did the girls know at the end/last?

Answer: Maddie and Peggy came to know that Wanda liked them very much. Wanda designed their faces in her dresses. Although they teased her, yet she loved them.

Question 19. What does Maddie want to do?

Answer: Maddie wants to tell Wanda that she never meant to insult her. She was sorry for everything. She did not want Wanda to leave that place. She wants to tell her that she was very much troubled over the incident.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What did Maddie and Peggy write in the letter to Wanda? What happened to it? How did Maddie behave even though Peggy had begun to forget the whole business?

Answer: Peggy and Maddie wrote a friendly letter to Wanda. Rather than being sorry they asked her about her new school, new teacher. They told her about the result of drawing contest which she had won and that her drawings were very beautiful. They meant to say sorry indirectly. They signed it with lot of X’s for love and didn’t say anything to tease her. But they did not get any reply from her. After sometime Peggy had begun to forget the whole business. But Maddie was surrounded by the thoughts of Wanda and everything that happened to Wanda. She felt guilty and decided not to be silent anymore so that other might not feel ashamed like her.

Question 2. You are ‘Wanda’. You are deeply hurt by the behaviour of your classmates. Express your feelings in the form of a diary entry. 

Answer:
Tuesday , 30th March 20XX 10:00 AM Dear diary,
I am very much aggrieved and disturbed by the insulting words of my classmates: Peggy and Maddie as both of them leave no stone unturned to look me down. And being a Polish girl having a long name, I feel helpless to revert them in the same coin. Peggy is vain; she teases me by asking about my dress. She asks me how many dresses, shoes, hats etc do I have. When I reply that I have a 100 dresses and sixty pairs of shoes; – they ask whether all of them are of different colours and designs. Maddie always remains calm and thus supports Peggy in doing so; she lacks courage to state what is right and what is wrong.

I never react and try to smile at their irritating questions because I know, there will be no difference, between me and them if I too turn the table to their side in the same way. Now that my father has come to know what I am going through, he has decided to shift to another city in order to avoid confrontation and racism as such humiliating circumstances can neither be tolerated nor can be accepted.

Question 3. Give a character sketch of Wanda Petronski?

Answer: Wanda Petronski a polish girl has shifted to America with her parents and younger brother. She is very kind and simple-hearted; she never behaves badly with anyone. She feels disturbed when Peggy teases her. But she replies confidently and courageously to what Peggy says to her. She wears the same blue faded dress everyday but she never complains about anything. She is very talented and has a good hand at drawing. She also wins the drawing contest and thus shows her creative side.

She is forgiving and generous as she forgives Peggy and Maddie by gifting them two of her drawings in which she draws their faces.
So, it can be said that she is a mature, sensible and loving girl who cares about everyone.

Class 10 English Chapter 5 The Hundred Dresses Part 1 Important Questions

Question 1. Describe the reaction of Wanda Petronski to Peggy and Maddie.

Answer: When Peggy and Maddie made fun of Wanda Petronski, she did not speak to them and remained serious. As she had no American friend she walked alone with dull eyes and hitched her shoulders in a funny way.

Question 2. Why did Maddie write a note to Peggy and then tore it?

Answer: Maddie wrote a note to Peggy to stop making fun of Wanda. But she tore it because she thought that it could annoy Peggy and she would make fun of her instead.

Question 3. Explain two dresses of Wanda Petronski in brief.

Answer: Each dress of Wanda was different from the other as one of the dresses was in a brilliant jungle green colour and the other was red sash. Actually each of them were beautiful enough to win the competition individually.

Question 4. What kind of a girl was Peggy?

Answer: Peggy was the most attractive and intelligent girl. She was very sentimental. She couldn’t bear an animal to be hurt and protected small children from bullies, but towards Wanda, she had a different attitude.

Question 5. What was the competition about in the school?

Answer: There was a drawing competition in the school. In the competition all boys had to draw a motorboat and all girls had to make sketches of a dress.

Question 6. Who won the drawing competition in each category? What had they drawn?

Answer: Jack Beggles who drew a motor boat won in the boys category and Wanda Petronski who drew hundred different dresses won the girls medal in the drawing competition.

Question 7. Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why do you think she said she did?

Answer: No, Wanda did not have a hundred dresses. She had only one dress. Wanda was a creative girl. She had a hundred designs of different dresses in her mind. She said that she had a hundred dresses to arouse curiosity among the girls who asked her this question mockingly.

Question 8. How does everyone in the class react to Wanda’s drawing?

Answer: Everyone clapped after having a look of Wanda’s drawing. Even the boys who were not interested in drawing applauded and whistled at the taw-dropping sketches that Wanda had made of the hundred dresses she claimed to have.

Question 9. How did the children react when Wanda was declared winner of the contest?

Answer: The children suddenly and spontaneously clapped hands. Even the boys were glad to have a chance to stamp on the floor. They put their fingers in their mouths and whistled, though they were not interested in dresses.

Question 10. What was the opinion of the judges about Wanda?

Answer: Wanda had drawn one hundred designs of dresses, which were all different and all beautiful. In the opinion of the judges any one of the drawings was worthy of winning the prize. So she was declared winner of the girls medal.

Question 11. Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?

Answer: Wanda sits in the seat next to the last seat in the last row in Room thirteen. She sits in the corner where there is mud and dirt on the floor. The atmosphere is noisy as well. It is because she has to come from muddy area.

Question 12. Where does Wanda live? What kind of place do you think it is?

Answer: Wanda lives at Boggins Heights. It is a place full of mud and dirt. There is earth all round. There are no metallic roads. The atmosphere must be unhygienic.

Question 13. When and why do Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence?

Answer: Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence on Tuesday. But on Wednesday again, Peggy and Maddie noticed that Wanda was not present in the class. They waited for her in the way and they became late on her account. Thus both noticed her absence.

Question 14. What do you think ‘to have fun with her’ means?

Answer: Here it means that Peggy and Maddie desired to enjoy with her. They did not want to tease her but it was a way to pass a happy time.

Question 15. In what way was Wanda different from the other children?

Answer: Wanda was different from other children. She had a funny name. It was hard to speak. She used to say that she had hundred of different dresses. She possessed sixty pairs of shoes.

Question 16. Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why do you think she said she did?

Answer: Wanda Petronski did not have a hundred dresses. She used to say that they were all lined up in closet. Wanda was not an ordinary person. She said so to arouse curiosity and she did. She had creative tastes.

Question 17. Why is Maddie embarrassed by the questions Peggy asks Wanda? Is she also like Wanda, or is she different?

Answer: Maddie is embarrassed when Peggy asks Wanda questions about different items like dresses, hats and other things. These questions are in Peggy’s funny voice. It is because Maddie is a poor girl. She wears the old clothes handed by others. Maddie is not like Wanda. She is quite different. She thanks herself that she does not live in Boggins Heights.

Question 18. Why didn’t Maddie ask Peggy to stop teasing Wanda? What was she afraid of?

Answer: One day Maddie was doing her arithmetic sums absentmindedly. She was happy that she had not made any fun of Wanda. She decided to write a note to Peggy requesting her to stop asking Wanda about her dresses. But she had no courage. She thought she would become the next target.

Question 19. Who did Maddie think would win the drawing contest? Why?

Answer: Maddie thought that Peggy would win the drawing and colour contest. It was because Peggy drew better than anyone else in the room. She could even copy a picture from a magazine or some film star’s head alike. Maddie was thus good at making pictures.

Question 20. Who won the drawing contest? What had the winner drawn?

Answer: The drawing contest was won by Wanda Petronski. There were drawings all over the room in dazzling colours. They were very brilliant and had lavish designs. For Wanda’s work, she was given a medal and applauses.

Class 10 English Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank Important Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Describe Anne’s Feelings about having a diary.

Answer: Anne feels it is silly for a 13 years old teenager to have a diary as it would seem she has many friends and other people to talk to, but in reality, she states she feels very lonely in the world. She wishes her diary to become her friend.

Question 2. Why did Anne feel like writing?

Answer: Anne had no real friend. Even she had a greater need to get all kinds of things off her chest. So, she felt like writing. Though she had a whim that none would take interest in her views because of her small age.

Question 3. Anne was not alone in this world. How?

Answer: Anne was not alone in this world. She had loving parents and a sixteen year old sister. She had a deep intimacy with thirty people. She could call them friends. She had a family, loving aunts and a sweet home.

Question 4. What did Anne think of having a true friend?

Answer: Anne thought that one could have good time with a true friend. Friendship brings closeness and helps in confiding in each other. Though we can talk about ordinary things with anybody else too.

Question 5. Why does Anne Frank think that ‘paper’ has more patience than ‘people’?

Answer: Anne believes that paper has more patience than people because it listens to her more patiently and silently it does not react like other people and also because she can confide in her diary all her secrets.

Question 6. What does Anne Frank tell about her family in her diary?

Answer: Anne Frank tells that she has very lovely and caring family.
Her parents and her elder sister love her a lot. There are about thirty people near by her whom she can call friends. She has loving aunts and a good home but she wants to have a true friend with whom she can share her feelings and thoughts.

Question 7. Describe your views about Mr Keesing as a teacher.

Answer: Mr Keesing seems to be a strict teacher but he actually believes taking actions with good intention and for the development of children. He tries to control her bad habit of talking too much but as soon as he is convinced that her habit does not affect her studies, he overlooks her shortcoming.

Question 8. What does Anne write in her first essay to support her habit of talking so much?

Answer: Anne Frank supports her nantte by stating that talking is a student’s trait and she will try to control it. But she also says that she has got it from her mother and such inherited traits cannot be curbed.

Question 9. What was Mr Keesing’s reaction after reading Anne’s poem on the third essay that he had given to her to write?

Answer: When Mr Keesing read Anne’s poem on the third essay that he had given her to write, he took the joke the right way. He understood the intention of Anne and felt it in good humour. After that he allowed her to talk and did not punish her by assigning her extra work.

Question 10. Why was Anne’s entire class anxious and nervous?

Answer: Anne’s class was anxious and nervous about the result. It was yet to be decided who would be promoted to the higher class or who would not because many deserved it.

Question 11. Describe Anne’s love for her grandmother. 

Answer: When Anne’s grandmother died, she stated that no one could understand her intensity of her love for her grandma. She also said that no one could imagine how much she thought of her. Lighting up extra candle for her during her birthday showed her love for grandmother.

Question 12. Describe about Anne Frank’s early education.

Answer: Anne Frank got her early education at the Montessori Nursery School until she was six. She started in the first form and in the sixth form, she had developed such a good relation with her headmistress Mrs Kuperus that both of them were in tears on the farewell.

Question 13. Why was Anne’s entire class quacking in the boots?

Answer: Anne’s entire class was shaking with fear and nervousness because of the forthcoming teacher’s meeting. The teachers had to decide who would move up to the next grade and who would be kept back or not promoted.

Question 14. Why was Anne in tears when she left the Montessori school?

Answer: Anne studied at the Montessary school. She stayed there till she was in the sixth form. She was very much attached to her teacher and headmistress Mrs Kuperus. At the end of the year they were both in tears as they bid ‘a heartbreaking farewell’.

Question 15. Where did Anne stay before going to Holland?

Answer: Anne’s father emigrated to Holland in 1933 and her mother went with him in September. Anne and her sister did not go with their parents. They were sent to Aachen to stay with their grandmother.

Question 16. Why did Anne feet alone?

Answer: Anne felt alone though she had loving parents, relatives and thirty friends. It was because she could not confide in them. Though she enjoyed their company, yet she could not get close to any one of them.

Question 17. How did Mr Keesing stop punishing her?

Answer: Mr Keesing read the poem by Anne. In this poem, a father swan bit his three ducklings to death. He could not bear their excessive quacking. Mr Keesing took the jokes. He read the poem to the class. He never punished her after that.

Question 18. What punishment was given to Anne?

Answer: Anne was a talkative girl. Her maths teacher was annoyed at her talkative nature. So he gave her an essay “A Chatterbox’ to write as a punishment.

Question 19. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?

Answer: Anne has got no friend with whom she can confide in (her secrets) and pass time. She feels herself alone in this world.

Question 20. Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?

Answer: It is because of the fact that she can have a good time with her diary. She may be able to confide more with her diary by remaining quite close with it. She can even have heart to heart talk with her.

Question 21. Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?

Answer: Anne has named her diary ‘Kitty’. She is her friend now. She will address and talk to her throughout. No one would understand her directly if she fails to give her brief sketch to the people.

Question 22. What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?

Answer: When the parents of Anne went to Holland, she and her elder sister, Margot went to stay with their grandmother. She loved her very much. She was thinking of her. On Anne’s birthday, a special candle I for the grandma was also lit.

Question 23. How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?

Answer: Anne was an intelligent girl. She explained in writing the necessity of talking. She argued that talking is a student’s trait. She tried to control it but she was helpless since her mother was more talkative than her. It was her inherited trait.

Question 24. What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in-class?

Answer: Mr Keesing thrice gave Anne a writing job on her talkative nature. On all the three occasions she came out successful. In the third attempt the ball fell on the teacher and he became her victim. Finding himself unsuccessful, he allowed Anne to talk in the class.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Anne called 26th July a ‘tumultuous’ day. Explain the reasons behind it.

Answer: Anne called 26th July a tumultous day as it was full of tension and fright. The first warning siren was sent off in the morning but nobody paid any attention to it because it only meant that the planes were crossing the coast. The siren alarmed again around 2 O’clock in the afternoon. Anne and her sister went upstairs but after five minutes they heard loud gunshots. After half an hour, drone of engines faded and life became normal. The city was enveloped in thick fog. But after dinner time, there was another gun-fire round and swarms of planes. The air was buzz with the drone of engines. Nobody was able to sleep that night because it repeated again at midnight.

Question 2. Why did Anne think that she could confide more in her diary than in the people?

Answer: Anne Frank did not have a friend with whom she could share now. Although she had spent a good time with her friends but she was unable to share her views and thoughts with them. When she got her diary, she decided to share everything with it because she believed that nobody would be interested enough in her musings. So, she treated her diary as her best friend. It would keep her life a secret and would not react like people. She confided everything in the diary; her family, her fear, her loneliness, her life and considered it her best friend.

Question 3. Who helped Anne in writing the essay and how?

Answer: Anne was fond of talking a lot. Mr Keesing punished her and gave her essays to write one after another as she didn’t stop talking in the class. When she was asked to write the essay on Ans. the topic ‘Quack, Quack, Quack said Mistress Chatterbox’ she decided to make it original. Her friend Sanne helped her as she was good at poetry and suggested her to write the entire essay in verse. Anne tried to play a joke on Mr Keesing with the essay. Mr Keesing took it in the right way and read it in the class. He understood that she was not a dull student, but talkative so he allowed her to talk and did not punish her again.

Question 4. Write the character sketch of Anne Frank.

Answer: Anne Frank was born on 12th June 1929 in Frankfurt Germany. She was four years old when her father went to Holland to find a better place for his family to live. She was very intelligent and always wanted to become a writer. She loved Peter even when she had to face opposition from her family in this regard.
She was a very good reader as well, she continued reading books, translated chapters, wrote down the vocabulary and worked hard on her skills. Like any child, she loved her parents but later grew a dislike towards her mother as she compared Anne to Margot. She was always jealous with her. She believed that time would come when the problems would be over. She felt alone although there were thirty people around her but she hardly could call anyone a true friend. Anne died of typhus in the concentration camp at Berger-Belsen in late February or early March of 1945.