CBSE Class 10 English

Very Short Answer Type Questions (2 Marks)

Term 2 Exam 2022
Chapter - Glimpses of India
1.What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Answer: The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days and their love of bread
and loaves. The writer says that the eaters of the loaves have left but the makers still exist.
2.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.They say that those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist and the fire in the furnaces has not
yet been extinguished.
3.Who invites the comment –“ he is dressed like a pader? ”Why ?
Answer: Any person who is wearing a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites this
comment. This is because the baker, known as a pader, used to dress like that.
4.What did the bakers wear -i) in the Portuguese days ? ii) when the author was young?
Answer: (i)The bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress called Kabai.It was a single piece
long frock reaching down to the knees.
(ii) During his childhood days, the author saw the bakers wearing shirt and trousers which were
shorter than full length ones and longer than half pants.
5.Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Answer: Bread is still an important part of Goan life. Marriage gifts are meaningless and a party or a
feast loses its charm without bread. Sandwiches are important for a daughter’s engagement.
This shows the fact that the bread makers are still there.

Chapter - Madam Rides the Bus

1. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
2. Valli was an eight-year-old girl who was very curious about things. What was her favourite pastime?
3. Why did Valli not get off from the bus when it stopped at the bus stand?
4. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
5. How did Valli manage to leave the house?
6. How did Valli calculate and plan?
7. What was the most fascinating thing for Valli?
8. What was the tiny wish that crept into Valli’s head?
9. What was the next problem after Valli had enough money?
10. Why didn’t Valli want to have a look at the sights alone?
11. What kind of a person was Valli?
12. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
13. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
14. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
15. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
16. Why was Valli overcome with shyness?
17. What did Valli see when she peered over the blind?
18. Why didn’t Valli like the remark of the elderly man? What did she say to him?
19. How did Valli react when she saw the dead cow by the roadside?
20. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?

Chapter - The Sermon at Benares

1. Who was Gautama Buddha? When and where was he born?
Answer: Gautama Buddha was a Prince who was named Siddhartha Gautama by his parents. He
was born in 563 B.C. in North India. He had been shielded from the sufferings of the world.
2. Why did Prince Siddhartha leave the palace and become a monk?
Answer: While going out for hunting Prince Siddhartha saw a sick man, an aged man and then a
funeral procession. Then he saw a beggar begging for alms. These sights mourned him very
much. He realised that the world is full of sorrows. He thus turned into a monk.
3. What is a sermon? Is it different from a lecture or a talk?
Answer: A sermon is a spoken or written address on a religious or moral subject. It is a serious
talk. It is different from a lecture or a talk. It is because a lecture or a talk can be on anything.
A sermon has to be on religion or a moral subject.
4. 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. He shared his knowledge with people
through his teachings.
5.Why was Kisa Gotami sad? What did she do in her hour of grief?
Answer: Kisa Gotami was sad because her only son had died. In her hour of grief, she went from
house to house in search of a medicine to cure him. She had become selfish in wanting her son
back.
6.What did her neighbours think about Kisa Gotami?
Answer: Kisa Gotami’s only son had died. She was overwhelmed with grief. She carried the dead
child to all her neighbours. She asked them for medicine to cure her son. The neighbours
thought she had lost her senses. A dead child could never be cured.
7. Why did Kisa go to Gautama Buddha?
Answer: One of the neighbours advised Kisa Gotami to go to Buddha who could have given her
some lifesaving medicine for her son.
8.What did Buddha ask the lady to do?
Answer: Buddha asked the lady to bring a handful of mustard-seeds. But these must be taken from
a house where no one had ever lost a child, husband or a friend. Then he would be able to help
her.
9. How did the Buddha teach Kisa Gotami the truth of life?
Answer: Buddha changed Kisa’s thinking with the help of a simple act—asking her to procure a
handful of mustard seeds from that house where none had died. She could not understand it.
But, gradually she understood that death is inevitable.
10.Where did Buddha preach his first sermon?
Answer: Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, which is regarded as
the most holy of the dipping places on the river Ganges.

Chapter - The Proposal (Play)

1. 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.
2. Why does Chubukov suspect Lomov when he comes to his house?
Answer: When Chubukov sees Lomov, he suspects that he must have come to borrow money from
him. Chubukov is not at all sincere in saying “And I’ve always loved you, my angel as if you were my
own son.” But in the entire play Chubukov and Lomov are seen fighting over the property or the dogs.
3. Why does Lomov say that Chubukov is not a good neighbour but a land-grabber ?
Answer: Lomov has his reasons to think that Chubukov is not a good neighbour but a land-grabber.
His aunt’s grandmother gave the Meadows for ‘temporary’ and free use to Chubukov’s grandfather's
peasants. He doesn't intend to give up his claim over the Meadows. Good neighbours don't behave
like this. Only land-grabbers behave in this fashion.
4. What did Natalya say about Guess?
Answer: Natalya said that Squeezer was superior to Guess - Lomov’s dog. Lomov said that his dog
Guess was better than Squeezer. Natalya believed that Guess had become old and ought to be shot.
She also claimed that Squeezer was a hundred times better than Guess.
5. What is the ailment that Lomov is suffering from?
Answer: Lomov is hypochondriac and nervous. He thinks he is cold, he has a roaring in his ears, he
complains of a weak heart, insomnia, strange aches and palpitation. He also suffers from numbness of
limbs. He gets nervous very often. His heart collapses twice. He considers himself weak and helpless,
and needs sympathy.
6. Describe Chubukov’s reaction when he comes to know about Lomov’s purpose of visit.
Answer: Chubukov is extremely happy and excited to know about Lomov’s proposal. He assures him
that Natalya would agree to the proposal. He showers his affection on Lomov and sheds a tear out
own happiness and says that it is his heartfelt desire. He does so because he thinks that Lomov would
make a good match for his daughter.
7. 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 to her. She accused Chubukov of driving Lomov out of their home.
8. Why does Lomov wish to propose to Natalya?
Answer: Lomov wishes to propose to Natalya 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.
9. 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 about petty things. They even fought over the breed of dogs.
10. What according to Chubukov is Lomov worth doing?
Answer: The speaker Chubukov doesn't think that his neighbour Lomov is worth anything. He only
knows how to argue with people and interfere with their dogs. He can’t be a good hunter at all.