Author name: Prasanna

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English

Expert Detectives NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 6

Expert Detectives NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Expert Detectives Comprehension check

Question 1.
What did Nishad give Mr Nath ? Why?
Answer:
Nishad gives Mr Nath a bar of chocolate because he thinks that Mr Nath is starving, and should eat something.

Question 2.
What is “strange” about Mr Nath’s Sundays?
Answer:
On Sundays, Ramesh carries two lunches to Mr Nath’s room and the same man is with him each time. He’s tall, fair, stout and wears spectacles. This visitor talks a lot, unlike Mr Nath who hardly speaks.

Question 3.
Why did Nishad and Maya get a holiday?
Answer:
Nishad and Maya got an unexpected holiday because of rains. The roads were flooded, and no traffic could move through them.

Expert Detectives Working with the text

Question 1.
What does Nishadfind out about Mr Nath from Ramesh?
Answer:

• What he eats: two chapattis, some dal and a vegetable
• When he eats: once in the morning, and once in the evening
• What he drinks, and when: two cups of tea, one in the morning and one ih the afternoon
• How he pays: by cash

Question 2.
Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?
Answer:
Maya thought Mr Nath was a crook because he did not talk to anyone, and had no friends. She thought that he had a scar on his face because he was involved in a scuffle or shootout against policemen. She was suspicious of him because he did not work, but still had money to pay for food and other things. She thought that the Sunday visitor is his accomplice, who keeps all the loot and comes now and then to give part of it to his partner, Mr Nath, for expenses.

Question 3.
Does Nishad agree with Maya about Mr Nath? How does he feel about him?
Answer:
No, Nishad does not agree with Maya about Mr Nath. He feels sympathetic towards for him and wants to try and make friends with him. He likes him, and wants to know his story.

Expert Detectives Working with language

Question  1.
Match the word with its meanings below. Solved
Answer:

• finger tips – the ends of one’s fingers
• the tip of your nose – the pointed end of your nose
• tip the water out of the bucket – empty a bucket by tilting it
• have something on the tip of your tongue – be about to say something
• tip the boat over – make the boat overturn
• tip him a rupee – give a rupee to him, to thank him
• the tip of the bat – the end of the bat
• the police were tipped off-the police were told, or warned
• if you take my tip – if you take this advice
• the bat tipped the ball – the bat lightly touched the ball

Question 2.
Can you fill in the blanks below with the most commonly used words? A dictionary may help you.
Solved

• business partner
• my companion on the journey
• I’m mother’s little helper.
• a faithful companion such as a dog activities
• the thief’s accomplice.
• find a good partner.
• tennis/golf/bridge
• his accomplice in his criminal

Question 3.
Match the word with its meanings below. Try to find at least three other ways in which to use the word.
Solved

1. The storm broke – it began or burst to break into activity
2. daybreak – the beginning of daylight
3. His voice is beginning to break – changing as he grows up
4. Her voice broke and she cried – could not speak; was too sad to speak
5. The heat wave broke – this kind of weather ended
6. broke the bad news – gently told someone the bad news
7. break a strike – end it by making the workers submit

More expressions
8. break one’s back – put great effort into achieving something
9. break something open – open something forcibly
10. make a break for – make a sudden dash in the direction of, especially in a bid to escape

Expert Detectives Speaking

Question  1.
Play detectives with each other. Find a person in your class (or some other acquaintance) to speak to. Find out the answers to the questions given below.
(Encourage the students to complete this activity in pairs.)

Sample answers
i. Name? – Asraf Khan

ii. What newspapers or magazines does the person read? – The Indian Express; Lonely Planet Magazine; The Outlook; The Outdoor Journal; The Hindu; BBC Knowledge

iii. How long has the person lived at the current address? – For five years

iv. What does she/he do during the day, i.e. the daily routine? -1 get up and go to the school. I come back and take a nap. Then I wake up and complete my home work. In the evening, I go swimming with my family. When I return, I go out and play with my friends. We sometimes even play boardgames in my house. I often go out with my family to have dinner.

v. What do neighbours and friends say about the person? – The neighbours like me a lot.

vi. Who are his/her visitors and what are his/her eating habits? (You can ask a few others about this.) – My maternal grandparents visit me almost every week. And so do my aunts and uncles. My parents’ friends also come to our place regularly. We mostly eat Indian food.

vii. What do you think about the person? – I think Ashraf is a very thoughtful and considerate person. He often gets delicious food from home, and shares it with all of us. He is my best friend in the class. I could never find such a great friend.

Expert Detectives Writing

Question  1.
Who do you think Mr Nath is? Write a paragraph or two about him.
(Encourage the students to use their creativity to formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
Mr Nath is probably suffering from an illness and has shifted to another place for treatment. Perhaps, he has no family and that is why he is living alone. He is sad and lonely. The man who visits him on Sundays might be his lawyer who is helping him . make a will.

Perhaps, he wants to do something good for the larger good of mankind, and is making plans with the man about how to do that. Mr Nath has come to a new neigbourhood where no one knows him. He probably wants to live in the same neighbourhood as his doctor.

Question  2.
What else do you think Nishad and Maya will find out about him? How? Will they ever be friends? Think about these questions and write a paragraph or two to continue the story. (Encourage the students to use their creativity to formulate their own answers.)
Answer:
It is possible that Nishad and Maya will find out all about Mr Nath’s past life. Nishad might ask him directly as he wishes to be friends with him.

Yes, it is possible that they will all be friends after knowing Mr Nath’s story. They will feel guilty about misunderstanding him.

This is how the story can continue:
Nishad merely glared at me and quietly walked out of the room. My theories seemed to have made no impression on him at all.

He went directly to Mr Nath’s door and rang the doorbell. Mr Nath answered the door and seemed to be somewhat perturbed. He seemed busy, but Nishad persisted to stare at him with innocent eyes, and asked to be let inside. Mr Nath’s home was very simple and had little furniture. There were only basic things there. Nishad cleared his throat and said to him, “Mr Nath, how come you have no friends? Don’t you feel lonely?”

Mr Nath hesitated before answering, “I feel lonely, but nobody in the neighbourhood wants to talk to me. They think I am strange, and I think they are scared of me.”

“That’s not true,” protested Nishad. “In fact, I would like to invite you for a dinner tomorrow at my house. My mother will be very happy to have you. I would also introduce you to my sister.”

Saying this, Nishad quickly got up to leave without giving Mr Nath a chance to decline the invitation. He left his home with a lot of nervous energy. He did not know what would happen next. But he was happy that his curiosity will soon be satiated.

Question  3.
Conducting a Survey. Study the following questionnaire and discuss the points in small groups. (Encourage the students to complete the survey on their own.)
Answer:
Most people think that a home is a place where you feel secure and happy. Few people think that a home isn’t a place where you feel secure and happy. Hardly anyone thinks that one cannot bring up a family in a home. No one thinks that you can do whatever you like at a home, because it is a shared space and one must follow rules and discipline of living together.

Everybody agrees to it that a home is a place where families are raised. Most children think that a home is a place where one can make as much noise as one wants. Everybody feels that it is a peaceful place.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Oral Comprehension Check

Question 1.
Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer:
The ceremonies took place in the Union Building amphitheater in Pretoria. Red Fort is made of sandstone.

Question 2.
Can you say how 10 May is ‘an autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer:
On 10 May, which was a lovely day in South Africa, Nelson Mandela became the first Black President.

Question 3.
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions ‘an extraordinary human disaster’. What does he mean by this? What is the ‘glorious … human achievement’ he speaks of at the end?
Answer:
By human disaster, Nelson Mandela means to say that the coloured people have suffered a lot due to discrimination at the hands of whites. He considers it a great glorious human achievement that a black person had become the president of a country where the blacks are not considered as human beings and are treated badly.

Question 4.
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela thanks the international leaders for attending the ceremony in which a Black was being honoured to receive the highest post of the country.

Question 5.
What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer:
He wants Africa to be free in the true sense where all are equal. He wants the glorious land to be free from the discrimination of any sort.

Question 6.
What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer:
The Generals saluted Nelson Mandela. Their attitude towards Blacks had taken a great change. Instead of arresting a Black, they saluted him.

Question 7.
Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer:
There were two National Anthems in South Africa, one for Whites and the other one for Blacks.

Question 8.
How does Mandela describe the system of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela describes the system of government in his country as the most inhumane, and harshest. The white people dominated over the Black or dark-skinned people of their own country. Comparatively, the final decade of the twentieth century recognised the rights and freedoms of all people regardless of their colour.

Question 9.
What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer:
To Mandela, courage is to risk and give one’s life for an idea. Courage is to stand up to attacks and tortures without breaking and to show strength and resilience that are unimaginable. In fact, courage is the triumph over fear. He learnt the meaning of the word ‘courage’ when he saw the cruel behaviour of the Whites towards Blacks. He knew he had to show courage to bring freedom to each one of them.

Question 10.
Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer:
According to Nelson Mandela, to love is natural because man is not born to hate others. He is taught to hate others for one reason or the other.

Question 11.
What ‘twin obligations’ does Mandela mention?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela mentions twin obligations in everybody’s life. The first obligation is towards his family, his parents, his wife and his children or the people to whom he is related by birth and emotions. The second obligation is towards his people, his society and his country.

Question 12.
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these ‘transitory freedoms’ with ‘the basic and honourable freedoms’?
Answer:
As a boy, being free meant to be able to stay out at night, to be able to read what he pleased and freedom to go anywhere he liked. There is a contrast in these freedoms and the basic and honourable freedom which meant to achieve his potential. He wanted to be free to earn and marry. He wanted to be free to be able to have his own family.

Question 13.
Does Mandela think that the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela thinks that the oppressor is not free because he is the captive or slave of hatred. He is enslaved by the prejudice and narrow-mindedness because he is unable to think or act without prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Thinking about the Text

Question 1.
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer:
Such a large number of international leaders attended the inauguration because it was the first democratic election in the history of South Africa. Nelson Mandela became the first Black President with a great victory. It was the triumph of justice, peace and human dignity.

Question 2.
What does Mandela mean when he says he is ‘simply the sum of all those African patriots’ who had gone before him?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela wants to pay his tribute to all the people who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of their freedom. He feels that he is the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before him because those heroes of yesteryears had paved the path of cooperation and unity for him. Therefore,he got the support and love of his people to be able to come to power to bring equality for his own people.

Question 3.
Would you agree that the ‘depths of oppression’ create ‘heights of character’? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own example to this argument?
Answer:
The depths of oppression create heights of character because the people who are oppressed by the mightier learn to cooperate with the other members of the group. They are not afraid of their death, naturally they do not fall a prey to greed of any type. The more they tolerate the more is the fire for liberation ignited.

The more they are oppressed, the more they tolerate. There are ample examples of such bravery and courage. Mahatma Gandhi resolved to send Britishers out of the country when he was oppressed by them. He felt that the greater the atrocities, the higher the resistance. The freedom fighters specially the revolutionaries were oppressed by the Britishers but they did not bend before them rather they preferred death to the humiliating life of a slave.

Question 4.
How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Answer:
With the changing of age, Nelson Mandela realised that he had a lot of responsibilities towards his people, his community and his country. Now when he was grown up, he was not going to be contented with his own freedom. He could not be happy till all the Blacks were free from the discrimination on the basis of their colour. He felt the chains on his people were the chains on him. As he grew in years, he started thinking more about his people and country. Now he did not want anything for him because he had learnt that he could not be happy till his own people were happy.

Question 5.
How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer:
The very desire to bring freedom for his people changed his life. From a frightened young boy, he was transformed into a bold one. In his young age, he loved his family but now he did not have any home. He was compelled to live like a monk though he was a life loving man. He felt that freedom is indivisible and he could not be free if his own people were not free. This very idea changed his life. He did not want to rest till he had achieved freedom for all the people of his own country.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Extra Questions and Answers

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Reference-to-Context Questions

Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
Tenth May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African soil.

(a) The tenth May was significant on the South African soil because it was the day by international leaders.
Answer:
Inauguration

(b) The world leaders were coming to South Africa to pay their ……………. before the inauguration.
Answer:
Respects

(c) It was the inauguration of South Africa’s first democratic, racial government. (True/False)
Answer:
False

(d) Find the synonym of ‘launching a military operation’ from the extract.
Answer:
Besieged.

Question 2.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheater formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.

(a) The ceremony took place in the lovely sandstone formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Answer:
Amphitheater

(b) It was the site of a gathering of different colours and different nations.
Answer:
Rainbow

(c) For decades, the African soil had been the seat of White supremacy. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the synonym of ‘convention’ from the extract.
Answer:
Gathering.

Question 3.
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president. ThenThabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to devote myself to the well- being of the Republic and its people.

(a) Zenani was the daughter of
Answer:
Nelson Mandela

(b) …….. was sworn in as the first Deputy President.
Answer:
Thabo Mbeki

(c) Mandela pledged to obey and uphold the constitution. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Give a synonym of ‘oath’ from the extract.
Answer:
pledge.

Question 4.
To the assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here… confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.

(a) The extraordinary human disaster that Mandela has mentioned in the extract is the policy of
Answer:
Apartheid

(b) The speaker wished to refer to the victory as a common victory for ………… for peace, for human dignity.
Answer:
justice

(c) The speaker called the victory as a common victory because the entire world was against the policy of Apartheid. (iVue/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Give an antonym of ‘common’ from the extract.
Answer:
‘Distinguished’.

Question 5.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement.
Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!

(a) The African people have at least achieved their political
Answer:
Emancipation

(b) Mandela wished that let reign on this beautiful land.
Answer:
Freedom

(c) The people of South Africa have got freedom from the policy of apartheid. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the synonym of the word ‘subjugation’ from the extract.
Answer:
‘Emancipation’.

Question 6.
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe as a spectacular array of South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected.

(a) There was a huge of South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers over the Union Buildings.
Answer:
Demonstration

(b) It was a demonstration of the military’s to democracy.
Answer:
loyalty

(c) According to the speaker, it was the demonstration of the military’s bravery. (True/False)
Answer:
False

(d) Give synonym of ‘glorious’ from the extract.
Answer:
Spectacular.

Question 7.
Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty. I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me. Finally a chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South African flag.

(a) The salute of the Generals signified loyalty to democracy and of the new government.
Answer:
Recognition

(b) Finally, a ……….. of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South African flag.
Answer:
Trail

(c) The Generals saluted Nelson Mandela and displayed their loyalty to the newly installed democratic government. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the meaning of the words ‘a line or pattern in the shape of a V’.
Answer:
‘Chevron’.

Question 8.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of our two national anthems, and the vision of whites singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel -iAfrika’ and blacks singing ‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised, they would soon know the words by heart.

(a) The day was symbolized for me by the playing of the anthems.
Answer:
National

(b) The groups did not know the of the old anthem.
Answer:
lyrics

(c) The inauguration was special because a long era of suppression had come to an end. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Give a synonym of ‘perception’ from the extract.
Answer:
Vision

Question 9.
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth, the white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land.

(a) The new government was based on a
Answer:
Democratic set-up

(b) The previous government of the Whites had racial over the Blacks of South Africa.
Answer:
Domination

(c) On the day of the inauguration, Nelson Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the meaning of the words “a period of 10 years” from the extract.
Answer:
‘Decade’.

Question 10.
The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known. Now, in the last decade of the twentieth century, and my own eighth decade as a man, that system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all people, regardless of the colour of their skin.

(a) The Whites had created such structure that formed the ……… of most harsh and inhumane societies.
Answer:
Basis

(b) In the last decade of the 20th century, the policy of was uprooted.
Answer:
Apartheid

(c) In the last decade of the 20th century, a new non-racial government was installed as a recognition of the rights and freedom of all people whether Blacks or the Whites. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the synonym of‘cruel’from the extract.
Answer:
‘Inhumane’.

Question 11.
That day had come about through the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people, people whose suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid. I felt that day, as I have on so many other days, that I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before me. That long and noble line ended and now began again with me. I was pained that I was not able to thank them and that they were not able to see what their sacrifices had wrought.

(a) The day of installation of the democratic government in South Africa can never be counted
Answer:
Repaid

(b) The long and noble line referred to the African who sacrificed their lives for freedom before him.
Answer:
Patriots

(c) Mandela felt that he was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before him.(True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the meaning of the words “caused to happen” from the extract.
Answer:
‘Wrought’.

Question 12.
The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in my country and my people. Ail of us will spend many years, if not generations, recovering from that profound hurt. But the decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect, and that was that it produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time — men of such extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known again. Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.

(a) The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting in the country and its people.
Answer:
Wound

(b) Mandela’s country is rich in minerals and that lie beneath its soil.
Answer:
gems

(c) According to Mandela, the greatest wealth of a country is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Find the antonym of “gentleness” from the extract.
Answer:
‘Brutality’.

Question 13.
It is from these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of courage. Time and again, I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea. I have seen men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience that defies the imagination. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

(a) Mandela learnt the meaning of courage from his ……………. like Oliver Tambos.
Answer:
comrades

(b) The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who …………… that fear.
Answer:
Conquers

(c) As a young man Mandela has never seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea. (True/False)
Answer:
False

(d) Find the antonym of‘rigid’from the extract.
Answer:
Resilience.

Question 14.
No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits, I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second, but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.

(a) Love comes more naturally to the …….. than its opposite.
Answer:
Human heart

(b) Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never
Answer:
Extinguished

(c) According to Mandela, one must learn to kill because he can be taught to save. (True/False)
Answer:
False

(d) Find the synonym of ‘twinkle’ from the extract.
Answer:
‘Glimmer’.

Question 15.
In life, every man has twin obligations — obligations to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his country. In a civil and humane society, each man is able to fulfil those obligations according to his own inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South Africa, it was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those obligations. In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and isolated. In South Africa, a man who tried to fulfil his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his family and his home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. I did not in the beginning choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.

(a) In life, every man has twin obligations—obligation to his family first, and secondly, obligation to his
Answer:
People

(b) In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a was punished and isolated.
Answer:
Human being

(c) In South Africa, it was impossible to fulfil the twin obligations because of an undemocratic
government. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) Give the synonym of ‘destined’ from the extract.
Answer:
‘Inevitable’.

Question 16.
It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion, when I discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been taken from me, that I began to hunger for it. At first, as a student, I wanted freedom only for myself, the transitory freedoms of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I chose. Later, as a young man in Johannesburg, I yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving my potential, of earning my keep, of marrying and having a family — the freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life.

(a) What did the speaker realize about his childhood freedom?
Answer:
The speaker realized that his childhood freedom was only an illusion.

(b) When did the speaker begin his hunger for freedom? ,
Answer:
When the speaker,as a young man, discovered that his freedom had already been taken from him, he began to hunger for freedom.

(c) What did the speaker want as a student?
Answer:
As a student, he wanted freedom only for himself, the transitory freedoms of being able to stay out at night, read what he pleased and go where he chose.

(d) What did the speaker want as a young man?
Answer:
As a young man in Johannesburg, he yearned for the basic and honourable freedoms of achieving his potential, of earning his keep, of marrying and having a family. He wanted the freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life.

Question 17.
But then I slowly saw that not only was I not free, but my brothers and sisters were not free. I saw that it was not just my freedom that was curtailed, but the freedom of everyone who looked like I did. That is when I joined the African National Congress, and that is when the hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of my people.

(a) With time what did the speaker see in his country?
Answer:
With time the speaker saw that no one was free in his country. Freedom of everybody was curtailed.

(b) When did his hunger become the greater hunger for freedom?
Answer:
When he joined the African National Congress, his hunger for his own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom.

(c) Who is the speaker? What was his desire?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela is the speaker. He wanted freedom for his people who were leading an inhuman life under the undemocratic government in South Africa.

(d) What did he do to achieve his mission?
Answer:
Mandela joined the struggle for freedom by joining African National Congress.

Question 18.
It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and self- respect that animated my life, that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home, that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free. Freedom is indivisible; the chains on anyone of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.

(a) How was the life of the speaker animated?
Answer:
His desire for the freedom of his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect animated his life.

(b) How did his desire transform him?
Answer:
His desire for freedom transformed him from a frightened young man to bold one, from a law abiding attorney to a criminal.

(c) How did it affect his family?
Answer:
His struggle for freedom turned a family loving husband into a man without a home.

(d) Why could the speaker not enjoy the limited freedom?
Answer:
The speaker could not enjoy the limited freedom for himself because his own people were chained. He wanted equality and freedom for all.

Question 19.
I knew that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is looked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

(a) Who are the oppressor and oppressed here?
Answer:
The white government of South Africa is the oppressor and the coloured people of the country are the oppressed.

(b) According to the speaker what should an oppressor be liberated from?
Answer:
According to the speaker, an oppressor should be liberated from hatred, prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

(c) According to the speaker when is a person truly free?
Answer:
According to the speaker a person is truly free if he does not take away someone else’s freedom.

(d) What is the common loss of both the oppressor and oppressed?
Answer:
According to the speaker, the oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humility away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken away from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
When did Nelson Mandela become the President?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa on 10 May 1994.

Question 2.
Where did the inauguration ceremony take place?
Answer:
The inauguration ceremony took place at Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria.

Question 3.
What was the pledge taken by Nelson Mandela?
Answer:
To liberate all the black people from the continuing bondages of poverty, deprivation, suffering and racial discrimination.

Question 4.
Which colours were used in the new flag of South Africa?
Answer:
Black, red, green, blue and gold.

Question 5.
What were the two anthems sung on ‘that day’?
Answer:
‘Nikosi Sikelel Africa’ and ‘Die stem’.

Question 6.
Which party did Nelson Mandela join?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined African National Congress.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress as a young man. It transformed his life. What made him join it? What does it show about his character?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress because even the basic freedom was not available to blacks. They could not live as human beings. They were punished and isolated from the society. He brought a transformation by achieving freedom for his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.

Nelson Mandela was a simple law abiding person but his people were not happy in a slave society. They were not given the basic rights of a citizen. They had to endure much pain and endure racial discrimination. They were not free on their own land. All these sufferings ignited the fire in Mandela. He left his home and began living like a monk. He taught boldly and fearlessly. Adherence to patriotism, self-respect and dignity transformed him completely. It shows that Mandela had a strong character. He was determined in his action. He had sympathy and compassion for his people.

Question 2.
Man is a social animal. He has some obligations to society. What twin obligations does Mandela mention? How can one fulfil these obligations?
Answer:
Man is a social animal and has some social obligations to society. Nelson Mandela understood the importance of being social. Mandela talks about twin obligations obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children. This is the first and the most important obligation that every man has to fulfil in his life. Another obligation is to his people, to his community and to his nation.

He emphasises that in a civil society, each one of us should fulfil these obligations. It is the responsibility of the government to provide an atmosphere where a person can fulfil these obligations. But in a country like South Africa, it was not possible to fulfil these obligations because of discrimination. It was an era of oppression and torture for the black Africans in their own country. They were not allowed even the basic freedom of living a dignified life.

Question 3.
Nelson Mandela points out some human qualities in his speech. Which of these qualities impresses you the most? Do you think these qualities have become rare nowadays?
Answer:
In the truest sense, nowadays human qualities that Nelson Mandela points out in his speech are hardly found. Today, people almost lack qualities like love, compassion and truthfulness. According to Nelson Mandela, love, compassion and truthfulness are essential human qualities. He fought against the discrimination meted out to his people in South Africa and realised that those who are oppressors lack the qualities of a human being. Those who deny basic freedoms to all are not real human beings. The real human being is one who has love, kindness and respect for all.

Question 4.
How did Nelson Mandela pay a tribute to the black people who sacrificed their lives for attaining freedom for their country? How can we do it for our country?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela had to fight against the inhumane government in South Africa. He fought against the policy of aparthied. He was not the first leader to initiate this movement. He joined them and succeeded. But he did not take entire credit for his success. He recognised their contribution and paid them a befitting tribute. He called himself simply the sum of all those Africans patriots who had laid the path towards the achievement of success. He continued the movement started by them. On the day of installation of the government, he missed all of them and expressed his gratitude towards them.

Question 5.
Do you think there is colour or caste prejudice in our own country? How can we uproot it? What is your stand on it? Should we discriminate on the basis of caste or colour?
Answer:
We can also do such work for our country. Though we have got independence, all our people have not yet achieved the freedom of education. We should do whatever we can, to make education available to the poor and backward people. Also in many places, girls are not given all the basic rights. Our government should take initiatives to give all the rights to every citizen.

It is true that there is no colour or caste prejudice in our own country. Nevertheless, discrimination on the basis of caste and religion has not been rooted out from the minds of the people. So it is a burning question to uproot this discrimination.

Education, basically value education, is the most important tool to do away with such discrimination. Once people are properly educated, they can be conscious and aware of their fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of India, and can face boldly such racial discrimination.

As a true citizen of India, we have to be conscious and aware of our fundamental rights. Accordingly, we will fight against any kind of discrimination like colour, religion or caste prejudices. No, we should not discriminate our people on the basis of caste or colour. We should give respect to all irrespective of caste, colour or religion and allow every one to live with dignity and self-respect.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

Desert Animals NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Honeysuckle Chapter 9

Desert Animals NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Desert Animals Working with the text

A. Question 1.
Talk to your partner and say whether the following statements are true or false.

• No animal can survive without water. True
• Deserts are endless sand dunes. False
• Most snakes are harmless. True
• Snakes cannot hear, but they can feel vibrations through the ground. True
• Camels store water in their humps. False

Question 2.
Answer the following questions.

i. How do desert animals survive without water?
Answer:
Desert animals survive without water by finding different ways of coping with the harsh conditions.

ii. How do mongooses kill snakes?
Answer:
Mongooses use their fast reflexes to dodge each time the snake strikes. They continually make a nuisance of themselves until, after a while, when the snake gets tired, they quickly dive in for the kill.

iii. How does the hump of the camels help them to survive when there is no water?
Answer:
The humps help the camels to survive in the desert, by acting as storage containers. They are full of fat, which nourishes them when food is scarce. If they have nothing to eat for several days, their humps shrink as the fat is used up.

B. Read the words/phrases in the box. With your partner find their meaning in the dictionary.

• harsh conditions: situations that are rough or hard state for one’s existence
• harmless: unlikely to cause harm
• survive: to continue to exist
• intruder: a person who enters a place without permission
• threatened: endangered
• predators: animals that hunt others for food and prey
• prey: an animal hunted by another for food
• continually: occuring at regular intervals

C. Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the above words/phrases.

All animals in forests and deserts struggle to survive in harsh conditions. Though most of the animals are harmless, some are dangerous when threatened. If an intruder is noticed, they attack or bite to save themselves. They struggle continually for food and water.
Some animals are called predators because they prey on other animals.

Desert Animals Speaking

Now form pairs. Ask questions using a suitable form of the word in brackets. Try to answer the questions too.
Do you know
1. Which animal is the …………………. (tall)?
2. Which animal runs the …………………… (fast)?
3. Which place on earth is the ………………. (hot) or the ………………… (cold)?
4. Which animal is the ………………… (large)?
5. Which is the ………………… (tall) mountain in the world?
6. Which is the ……………. (rainy) place on earth?
7. Which is the ………….. (old) living animal?
Can you add some questions of your own?

1. tallest: giraffe
2. fastest: cheetah
3. hottest: Death Valley, USA; coldest: Vostok, Antarctica
4. largest: the blue whale
5. tallest: Mount Everest
6. rainiest: Mawsynram, Meghalaya, India
7. oldest: the bowhead whales

Some more questions of my own:

1. Who is the heaviest person on earth?
2. Who is the longest living person on earth?
3. Which country is closest to the Arctic continent?

Desert Animals Thinking about language

A. Now write five sentences like these using ‘most’ and the clues below.

Question 1.
(90% of) people are honest (10%) are dishonest.
Answer:
Most of the people are honest, but a few are dishonest.

Question 2.
(Lots of) fruit have plenty of sugar, (some) citrus fruit are low in sugar.
Answer:
Most of the fruits have plenty of sugar, but some citrus fruits are low in sugar.

Question 3.
(Every soft drink except this one) has lots of ‘empty calories’.
Answer:
Most of the soft drinks have lots of ‘empty calories’, but not this one.

Question 4.
(The majority of films are romances, (a few) are on other topics.
Answer:
Most of the films are romances, but a few are on other topics.

Question 5.
(A majority of people agree that he is a good leader, (just a few) disagree.
Answer:
Most of the people agree that he is a good leader, but just a few disagree.

B. Complete these sentences using cannot and have to/has to.

1. You cannot reach the island by land or air; you have to go by boat.
2. We cannot see bacteria with our eyes; we have to look at them through a microscope.
3. He cannot have a new bicycle now; he has to wait till next year.
4. Old people often cannot hear very well; they have to use a hearing aid.
5. Road users cannot do what they wish; they have to follow the traffic rules.
6. She cannot accept this decision; she has to question it.
7. You cannot believe everything you hear; you have to use your own judgement.

Desert Animals Writing

Question 1.
Imagine you are journeying through a desert. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you see and hear.
Answer:
A journey through a desert is an experience of a lifetime. There is a wide expanse of land which seems endless and full of sand. There is no road, and the sun seems to be shining so brightly. It is so hot that I can hardly believe my eyes. My throat is parched and I keep drinking water to keep myself well-hydrated.

I can see camels around and people dressed in brightly-colored clothes. All of them keep their heads and ears covered to protect themselves from the sun.

I can also see some trees that are scattered throughout the area and lots of cactus plants. Suddenly, we have arrived on a road. We dismount our camels (who are an important source of travelling here) and get on board the vehicle waiting for us. Now the desert is on either side of us.

I can see some trees lined up on both sides of the road. Everything seems a little dry, but as we approach the road, the sun begins to fall. It is an amazing sight to behold in this huge wilderness. I would like to come back here again, for sure.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

What if NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Honeysuckle Poem 8

What if NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

What if Working with the poem

Question 1.
i. Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer:
The speaker in the poem is a school-going child.

ii. With your partner list out the happenings, the speaker is worried about.
Answer:
Some of the happenings the speaker is worried about are being dumb at school; the swimming being closed; and about getting beaten up or being poisoned. He is also scared that he might start to cry; fall sick and die; or fail an examination. Some of his other worries are more amusing such as growing green hair on his chest and his head getting smaller.

iii. Why do you think she/he has these worries? Can you think of ways to get rid of such worries?
Answer:
He probably has these worries because he is unable to sleep, and cannot help thinking about these things. He could help in getting rid of these worries by counting sheep in his mind, or going back to sleep.

Question 2.
Can words crawl into your ear? This is an image. The poet is trying to make an image of what she/he experiences. Now with your partner try and list out some more images from the poem.
Answer:
Some more images from the poem are as follows: Whatifs prancing and partying all night long; green hair growing on the speaker’s chest; a bolt of lightning striking; his head starting to get smaller; wind tearing up the poet’s kite; teeth not growing straight and tearing his pants.

Question 3.
In groups of four discuss some more ‘what ifs’ that you experience in your day to day life and list them out.
Answers

• What if I grow a trunk on my face like an elephant
• What if all the delicious food vanishes off the face of this earth
• What if there was no electricity
• What if I break my leg
• What if my parents hate me and are not my real parents
• What if aliens invade the earth and make me their slave
• What if I get caught in a never-ending dream
• What if I become the prime minister

And now Write a poem of five or six lines with the ‘what ifs ’ that you have listed.
Answer
What if a trunk appears on my face tomorrow
And I vanish in my sorrow
What if I was caught in a never-ending dream
Where I was having butterscotch cream
What if aliens invaded the earth
Really, off Whatifs there’s no dearth.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English

Bholi NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9

Bholi NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Bholi Read and Find out

Question 1.
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Answer:
Bholi’s father was worried about her because she was a retarded child with pockmarks all over her  face. He was worried as it was not easy to marry her off. Moreover, she was not intelligent also.

Question 2.
For what unusual reasons is Bholi sent to school?
Answer:
Bholi was sent to school to set an example for other villagers to send their daughters to school. Her mother was confident that due to her ugly face and lack of intelligence, there was no fear of the society as there was no chance of her getting married.

Question 3.
Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?
Answer:
Bholi was quite pleased to wear the new dress. She was excited as she met other girls of her age in the school. She expected to find a good friend among these girls.

Question 4.
Does she find her teacher different from the people at home?
Answer:
She finds her teacher different from the people at home as the teacher talked to her in a soft and soothing voice whereas at home, she was always ill-treated. The teacher showered her with great affection and encouraged her to talk comfortably.

Question 5.
Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents accepted Bishamber’s proposal because he was a well-to-do bridegroom and he was also not demanding any dowry from them.

Question 6.
Why does the marriage not take place?
Answer:
The marriage could not be solemnised because Bishamber started demanding a huge amount of five thousand rupees, which Ramlal was unable to pay and the marriage was cancelled. Finally, Bholi also refused to marry a greedy person who insulted her father for money.

Bholi Think About it

Question 1.
Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer:
Bholi was the youngest daughter of Ramlal. Her mental growth was slow because of a fall from the cot on her head. She had pock-marks on her face because of smallpox. She was not treated nicely at home. She was always given old dresses of her elder sisters to wear. Nobody cared to mend or wash her clothes.

When her parents decided to send her to school, she was very much scared because she had never seen a school, heard about a school. She remembered how their old cow Lakshmi had been turned out of the house and sold some days ago. She had the same thought for herself also.

But when she was going to school, she got a neat and clean dress to wear. She was bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. Only then she began to believe that she was being taken to a place better than home. All her apprehensions and fears about going to school were no more there and she started going to school.

Question 2.
How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
Answer:
Bholi was a totally ignored and the youngest daughter of Ramlal. She was mentally a slow child, had pock-marks on the face, she stammered while speaking and everybody made fun of her. When she was taken to school for the first time, she was very much scared. But when she reached the school, all her fears went away because her teacher was a gem. She made Bholi comfortable and relaxed with her nice and affectionate behaviour. She fully sympathised with Bholi and tried to create some confidence in her. She encouraged Bholi and turned her into a bold and confident girl.

Her father fixed her marriage with Bishamber Nath, a neighbouring grocer who was already married and father of grown-up children. He was a shameless and mean fellow. When he saw Bholi at the marriage platform, found her pock-marks, he started asking for dowry of five thousand rupees. But Bholi showed her courage and spirit that had been imparted to her by her teacher only, refused straightforward to marry such a mean, greedy, worthless and contemptible fellow.

Everybody was – stunned to see this bold and daring face of Bholi as all of them had taken her to be a dumb silent cow which could be treated either way. Bholi promised to serve her parents in their old age and help other children in the school. It all happened because of her teacher’s love and support.

Question 3.
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Answer:
Bholi was the youngest daughter of Ramlal. Her elder sisters were married. But Bholi had a slow mental growth, had pock-marks of smallpox and she stammered while speaking. Parents were much worried about her marriage because of their daughter’s shortcomings. Bholi gave her consent to an unequal match when a proposal was offered by Bishamber Nath from a neighbouring village. Bishamber Nath was an aged greedy widower, businessman with a good bank balance and did not know the weaknesses of Bholi.

But later she rejected the marriage when she saw the hidden and real greedy face of Bishamber Nath for dowry. At the time of wedding when Bishamber Nath saw her face with pock-marks, he tried to encash the situation and asked for five thousand rupees. At this Bholi got annoyed and refused to marry such a greedy and contemptible fellow.

We come to know about Sulekha that she was a new-faced confident girl, who could not tolerate injustice to her and her parents and made her teacher proud by her brave and daring act.

Question 4.
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But in the last paragraph of the story Bholi is called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
Answer:
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We come to know this at the beginning only but since her childhood everyone had called her Bholi — a simpleton. A pock-marked, stammering simple girl tolerated everything and never reacted. But only at the end in the last but one paragraph she has again been called as Sulekha that shows that she is no more a dumb cow by now which will never retaliate to the wrongs. With the impact of education and her teacher’s attempts, she has been turned into a rebel, confident and mature girl. She is no more a Bholi innocent lamb which will not react to the society. That is why she is called as Sulekha a new face of Bholi, a girl of substance at that point of story.

Bholi Extra Questions and Answers

Bholi Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
God created this world but teachers create human beings. How did Bholi’s teacher succeed in changing the course of her life?
Answer:
The teacher gives desired encouragement, inspires her with love. She changes her into a bold and confident girl. She protests at her marriage and refuses to get married with an aged, greedy, coward and mindless person. It transforms her life.

Question 2.
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match?
Answer:
Bholi agreed for the sake of her parents. Their honour was at stake.

Question 3.
Why did Bholi later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Answer:
She rejected the groom because the bridegroom proved greedy, mean and hateful coward. He had demanded dowry because she had pock-marks on her face. She remained no longer a dumb cow, but became an independent girl of great confidence due to the efforts of her teachers.

Question 4.
Why did Bholi’s parents think her ‘a dumb cow’?
Answer:
Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. She was a simple girl. Everyone called her Bholi, the simpleton. She was a slow learner. She was not a good looking girl. She stammered also.

Question 5.
How did Bholi turn out to be an outspoken and a fearless girl?
Answer:
Bholi was sent to the village school which transformed her into a bold girl. Her teacher’s encouragement and affection gave her a new hope and new life. She became a sharp outspoken and fearless girl.

Question 6.
What was Bholi’s experience at school on the first day? Did she enjoy it? Give a suitable answer.
Answer:
On her first day in the school, Bholi felt alone and fearful in the new surroundings. She was happy to see many girls of her age. The coloured pictures made her happy on this very day. The soft and soothing voice of her teacher calling her ‘Bholi’ touched her heart.

Question 7.
What kind of treatment is given to Bholi by her parents? Is it justified?
Answer:
Bholi was the fourth child in her family. She was different from her other siblings. She had a disfigured face. She had black pock-marks. She was a slow learner. She used to stammer also. She was not given proper treatment at home. The treatment given to Bholi cannot be justified. There should not be any discrimination against handicapped in the family.

Question 8.
Why did Bishamber refuse to marry Bholi?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. She was not a good looking girl. She had pock-marks on her body and face. When Bishamber was about to garland Bholi, the silken veil from her face was slipped back. When Bishamber saw the pock-marks on her face, he refused to marry her.

Question 9.
When did Bholi realize that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer:
Bholi was given a new dress to wear. Earlier she used to wear the used clothes of her sisters. She was given a bath. Her hair were oiled. These unusual things made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home.

Question 10.
How did Bholi react when her father caught her by the hand to take her to school? Why?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. When her father held her hand and told her that they were going to school, she got frightened. She recalled how a cow was taken out of house for sale. She thought that she was being dragged out of the house.

Question 11.
What were Ramlal and his wife’s plans regarding Bholi’s marriage?
Answer:
Bholi was not a normal child. Her parents knew that they would not be able to get her married. They got a proposal from Bishamber for Bholi. They readily agreed saying that Bholi would be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom. Bishamber was as old as Ramlal and had children from his first wife.

Question 12.
Why did the Tehsildar come to Ramlal’s village? What did he ask Ramlal to do?
Answer:
He came to Randal’s village to inaugurate the newly opened primary school. The Tehsildar told Ramlal that he was the revenue officer and the representative of the government, therefore, he should be the first one to send his daughters to school.

Question 13.
Why did Bholi talk very little as a child?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. She was unable to speak till the age of five. When she learnt to speak, she used to stammer. All the children of her age made fun of her. As a result, she talked very little. She was an introvert child.

Question 14.
Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?
Answer:
Sulekha was a slow child from the very beginning. She was a simpleton. Her brain was also damaged in her childhood resulting in her being slow, that is why she was called “Bholi”, a simpleton.

Question 15.
Why did Bholi look at Bishamber with cold contempt?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents arranged her marriage with Bishamber who was a 45-50 year-old widower. At the time of marriage, Bishamber demanded five thousand rupees as dowry as a compensation for Bholi’s ugly looks. Bholi refused to marry him and looked at him with cold contempt.

Question 16.
Why was Bholi reluctant to go to school with her father?
Answer:
Bholi did not know what a school was like. She remembered how their old cow had been turned out of the house and sold. Therefore, she was frightened and was reluctant to go to school with her father.

Question 17.
What happened to Bholi (Sulekha) when she was ten months old?
Answer:
When Bholi was ten months old, she (Sulekha) had fallen off the cot on her head and it had damaged some part of her brain.

Question 18.
Why did the other children make fun of Bholi?
Answer:
All the children of her age made fun of Bholi as she was a simpleton and different from others. Her speech was not clear. She used to stammer. Her introvert nature and stammering were the source of fun and entertainment for the children of her age. They always made fun of Bholi.

Question 19.
Why had Ramlal agreed to send his daughter to school?
Answer:
Ramlal was the revenue official of his village. The Tehsildar had inaugurated the school and he had told Ramlal to send his daughters to school. And Ramlal could not disobey the Tehsildar.

Question 20.
How did Bholi feel when the teacher asked her name?
Answer:
Bholi was very nervous when the teacher asked her name. She started sweating and stammering. But the teacher’s loving and kind attitude made her feel comfortable.

Question 21.
Why did Ramlal not send all his daughters to school?
Answer:
Ramlal had four daughters. Ramlal was not in favour of girls’ education. He thought that it would not help his daughters in their life. The first three daughters were already married. Bholi was the fourth daughter. She was the only one left who could be sent to school.

Bholi Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl, face the
challenge posed by Bishambar’s greed? [2017]
Answer:
Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. It is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for women. Bholi, an educated girl at first agreed to marry an old man because her father’s honour was at stake; thereby she placed her family’s interest over her own. However, later she refused to marry him because she saw how greedy and contemptible he was.

By demanding a hefty dowry, Bishamber took advantage of her bad looks and the desperateness of her father to get her married. That’s the reason why he rejected the marriage and shut the mouth of her detractors who called her shameless. All these were possible because education gave her the confidence needed to face a situation boldly.

Question 2.
“Don’t you worry, Pitaji! In your old age I will serve you and mother”. Through this statement the narrator wants to highlight the moral qualities Bholi was imbued with. Based on the reading of the lesson, what made Bholi aware of her rights and how did she use them?
Answer:
Bholi was an ignorant daughter of Ramlal. Her father fixed her marriage with Bishamber Nath, an aged fellow and father of grown-up children. Bishamber asked for heavy dowry. Bholi showed courage not to marry such a mean and greedy fellow. Bholi promised to serve her parents in their old age.

With the impact of education and her teacher’s endeavour, she became mature and confident. She became aware of her rights. It was education that made Bholi aware of her rights to raise the voice against dowry.

Question 3.
“Dowry is a negation of a girl’s dignity.” Prove this statement in the light of the story ‘Bholi’. How can this evil be eradicated from our society?
Answer:
Dowry is a curse on our society. It has become a monster now. Dowry, no doubt, is a negation of a girl’s dignity. Bishamber refused to accept Bholi because of her looks. The moment he saw her face full of pock-marks, he refused to marry her. He did not care for her dignity. But he was ready to marry that ugly girl if her father would give him five thousand rupees as dowry. He was ready to compromise with her looks in exchange of money. It was a sheer negation of Bholi’s dignity. Education of girls is the most powerful weapon against this evil.

Question 4.
On the basis of your understanding of the story, describe the role of the teacher, in Bholi’s life. What does it talk about her character?
Answer:
Bholi was a slow child from the beginning. Due to smallpox, her face had pock-marks which made her look different from other students. Her speech was not clear and she used to stammer. That is why, she was slower than other children. Even her parents called her dumb and witless. However, she was sent to school where her teacher changed her life.

Bholi’s teacher played a significant role in her life. She gave her encouragement and confidence to learn. She became an educated and a bold girl. Due to Bholi’s teacher, she was able to take charge of her life. It was love, compassion and sympathy in the teacher that transformed the life of Bholi. Every teacher must be like her to bring a change in society.

Question 5.
Bholi has multiple handicaps she is a girl. She has pock-marks, she stammers. How can we change the social attitudes towards the differently abled?
Answer:
Bholi is physically challenged. She is a slow girl. She has pock-marks and also stammers. What difference does it make? She is a human being and she should also be treated and honoured like other human beings. If a person lacks something on the one hand, he or she is compensated on the other by God. We see so many examples and instances in the society which prove that disability of any kind is not an obstacle in one’s life. Helen Keller was blind but proved to be a successful writer at the end.

Sudha Chandran is an example of indomitable will, who, despite losing one leg, became a dancer of world-fame. The social attitude towards these people should not be one of pity. They should be appreciated that in spite of their weakness, they are struggling hard to survive. The society will have to change its attitude towards differently abled people.

Question 6.
Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her. A teacher can transform a student by encouragement and motivation. Do you agree? What do you expect from your teacher?
Answer:
Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barrier. Bholi was a differently abled girl. She lacked confidence. She had an inferiority complex. When she was sent to school, her teacher transformed her from a dumb cow to a bold girl. No doubt it was the encouragement and motivation by her teacher that helped her. A teacher can transform a slow learner, dumb student to a confident person.

It is not only the knowledge that a teacher should impart, but he/she must boost confidence among his/her students. A word of appreciation by the teacher motivates a student and boosts up his/her morale and confidence. We expect that our teachers treat the children with compassion and sympathy. Their love for their students is a source of inspiration for them.

Question 7.
Most of the women in our society suffer silently because they dont’ know their rights. How does awareness help us? What would you suggest to bring awareness about the rights of women?
Answer:
Yes, it is true that most of the women in our society suffer because they don’t know their rights. We all are born equal with equal rights and duties. There should not be any discrimination between boys and girls. Our constitution has given us equal rights. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness and women don’t know their rights.

Those women who are aware of their rights have courage to oppose injustice. An educated woman is free from any such exploitation. Bholi in the story was ready to compromise with her fate because she did not know her rights. But when she was educated, she raised her voice against the evil of dowry and refused to marry Bishamber. In my opinion, awareness about the rights can be spread through education only.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English

Fire and Ice NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem 2

Fire and Ice NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Fire and Ice Thinking about the Poem

Question 1.
There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world will end some day? Have you ever thought what would happen if the sun got so hot that it ‘burst’, or grew colder and colder?
Answer:
Anything that has a beginning will have an end. One who is born will certainly die. This is true about this world too. If the sun got so hot that it burst, the whole of the earth would perish immediately as no part of the earth can bear the heat of that intensity. But if the sun becomes colder and colder, again everything would come to an end as the sunlight gives birth to life in the world.

Question 2.
For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for? Here are some ideas:

Answer:

Question 3.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the contrasting ideas in the poem?
Answer:
a ba a b c bcb.
There are two contrasting ideas in the poem. According to the poet fire and ice are the two probable causes of destruction. Fire stands for desire and ice for hatredness. By the rhyming scheme like – fire-desire, ice-suffice, he communicates the idea effectively.

Fire and Ice Extra Questions and Answers

Fire and Ice Reference-to-Context Questions

Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

(a) The above stanza debates whether the world will end in
Answer:
fire or ice

(b) Both the elements mentioned in the first stanza have one similarity i.e. both can
Answer:
end the world

(c) The poet favours those who believe that fire would cause final destruction. (True/False)
Answer:
True

(d) The word that rhymes with ‘fire’ is
Answer:
desire

Question 2.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great And would suffice.

(a) ‘Ice’ in the above stanza refers to feelings of ………..
Answer:
coldness/hatred

(b) Both ice and fire will be enough for ………..
Answer:
destruction

(c) The poet wishes that the world should end twice. (True/False)
Answer:
False

(d) Pick up the antonym of ‘inadequate’ from the above stanza.
Answer:
‘suffice’.

Fire and Ice Long Answer Question

Question 1.
It is a Hobson’s Choice that the poet faces in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. Illustrate this thought, with the help of examples from the poem.
Answer:
The poem talks about the end of the world by fire, which symbolizes greed in humanity. Others feel that the end will come about by ice, which symbolizes hate. Thus humanity faces a choice which is really no choice, because the end result is destruction in both cases. The choices are illustrated on a personal level, as both of them affect individual destruction equally.

The poet uses a tight and clipped method of presenting the choices to emphasize the importance of his message of there being no alternatives. The theme of the poem, based on destruction through greed and hatred, illustrates the proverb Hobson’s Choice, gives the poem a profound and meaningful undercurrent.