Section C: Literature Textbook
and Supplementary Reading
Prose
Lesson 1  A Letter to God
Q.  1. What were Lencho‘s feelings when the
hail stopped? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]
Ans. After the hail stopped, Lencho’s soul was
filled with sadness. He could see a bleak
future for him and his family. He was dis-
appointed and worried about starvation
and the lack of food for the coming year.
Q.  2. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
 [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019
and CBSE Term 1, 2016]
Ans. Lencho’s crops were destroyed by a
hailstorm. He had put all his money in
farming and therefore, he was left with
no money then. But he had strong faith
in God that God would definitely solve
his problem. So, he wrote a letter to God
asking for 100 pesos so that he and his
family wouldn’t starve.
Q.  3. The moment the letter fell into the mail-
box the postmaster went to open it. It
Lesson 2  Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom
Q. 1. Why was Nelson Mandela overwhelmed
with a sense of history? How did he suc-
ceed in ending the apartheid regime in
South Africa? [CBSE Delhi, Set 2, 2020]
Ans. Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense
of history because in the first decade of
the twentieth century a, few years after
the bitter Anglo-Bear War which was even
before his 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. But now in
Lesson 3  Two Stories about Flying
Q. 1. “The sight of the food maddened him.‘‘
What does this suggest? (His First Flight)
[CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020]
said, God: Of the money that I asked for,
only seventy pesos reached me. Send
me the rest. Since I need it very much.
But don’t send it to me through the mail,
because the post office employees are a
bunch of crooks. Lencho.
(a) Why did Lencho write this letter?
(b) Why was Lencho angry with the post
office employees?
(c) Find out a word from the passage
which means, Dishonest people’.
 [CBSE, Delhi, Term 1, 2016]
Ans. (a) Lencho wrote his letter because he
thought that out of the hundred pesos
which God had sent him to help,
thirty were stolen by the post office
employees.
(b) Lencho was angry because he thought
that they had stolen thirty pesos.
(c) The word which means ‘dishonest
people’ is crooks.
the last decade of the twentieth century,
and his own eighth decade as a man,
that system had been overturned forever
and replaced by the one that recognised
the rights and freedoms of all people,
regardless of the colour of their skin. This
marked the victory of democracy.
Nelson Mandela set the ideals of liberating
people from the bondage of poverty,
deprivation and suffering. He had also set
the ideal for a society where there would
be no discrimination based on the gender
or racial origin of the person.
Ans. The young seagull was very hungry. His
mother had a piece of fish in her beak
and she was teasing the young seagull
 with it. Because the sight of the food
“maddened” him, he wanted to snatch it
from his mother.
Q. 2. Why and when did the narrator say that
‘everything’ was going well, it was an
easy flight.’? (Black Aeroplane)
[CBSE OD, Set 2, 2020]
Ans. This excerpt is from the short story
“Black Aeroplane”. Frederick Forsyth
was the pilot who describes his strange
flight experience he had in this story.
The story is about a pilot who got lost in
a dark cloud during his flight from Paris
to London and was guided by a strange
airplane that had appeared in the middle
of that cloud.
The flight of old Dakota started in Paris
and headed towards England. It was
an easy flight, the sky was clear and the
weather was fine. When it reached 150 km
away from Paris, it suddenly confronted
huge black storm clouds. It only had
limited fuel to take him to England. He
could go back to Paris but he decided to
take the risk and go through the storm
clouds because he wanted to spend the
holiday with his family.
Q.  3. Read the extract given below and ans-
wer the questions that follow:
That was twenty-four hours ago. Since
then nobody had come near him. The
day before, all day long, he had watched
Lesson 4  From the Diary of Anne Frank
Q. 2. What do you think about Anne‘s talent
for writing essays which she wrote
convincingly, when punished by the
teacher? [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020]
Ans. Anne was a young and talented girl. She
was inquisitive and thirsty for knowledge.
She had a flair for writing and tried to put
her best foot forward. She used to talk a
lot, so she wanted to convince her teacher
that talking was her birthright, nothing
bad inherited from her mother and she
had no control over herself. When unable
to receive appreciation from her teacher
for the first two essays that she had com-
his parents flying about with his bro-
thers and sister, perfecting them in the
art of flight, teaching them how to skim
the waves and how to dive for fish.
(a) For how long had the seagull been
alone?
(b) What did the young seagull see his
parents doing the day before?
(c) Why did the parents make a loud
noise? [CBSE, Term 1, 2015]
Ans. (a) The seagull had been alone for twenty-
four hours.
(b) The day before, his parents were
teaching the other children how to fly.
(c) The parents made a loud noise as they
were happy and were cheering the el-
der brother of the young segaull catch
his first herring.
Q. 4. How did the young seagull’s parents
teach him the art of flying?
 [CBSE, Term 1, 2015]
Ans. The parents of the young seagull were
very wise. On seeing that their child was
quite weak and scared and is afraid to
fly, they, at once, decided to be strict with
him. They warned him that they would
not feed him anymore as he was a grown
up seagull. He would starve to death if he
did not fly. They tempted him by showing
flesh and eating it in front of him but they
did not offer it to him. Hunger provoked
the young seagull to fly and ultimately, he
made efforts and was successful.
posed, she took her friend, Sanne’s help
to script the third one. She suggested
Anne to write her essay in the form of a
verse. Anne did the same. She wrote her
third essay in a verse-form which her
teacher, Mr. Keesing, appreciated a lot.
This shows that she was a determined
and strong spirited girl.
Q.  2. Why did Anne maintain a diary?
 [CBSE, Term 1, 2015]
Ans. After the death of her grandmother, Anne
became lonely. She did not have any
friend to confide in so she felt the need of
maintaining diary in order to express her
feelings.
 Lesson 5  The Hundred Dresses–I
Q. 1. Describe the scene in which Wanda‘s
dress drawings are displaced. Who won
the drawing contest for the girls?
[CBSE Delhi, Set 3, 2020]
Ans. On the next day of the drawing contest, it
was drizzling. Peggy and Maddie hurried
to their school as Miss Mason would an-
nounce the results of the drawing contest.
They did not wait for Wanda. When the
girls reached their school, they were sur-
prised. There were hundreds of designs of
dresses displayed in the room. Then Miss
Mason announced the names of the win-
ners. Jack Beggles had won for the boys.
She said that all the hundred designs of
dresses had been made by just one girl in
the class and she had won the medal. Her
name was Wanda Petronski. But Wanda
was absent. The children clapped their
hands in joy. Maddie asked Peggy to look
at the blue dress about which Wanda had
told them earlier. They appreciated the
drawings made by Wanda.
Q. 2. Why did Peggy and Maddie not wait for
Wanda? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]
Ans. Maddie and Peggy didn’t wait for Wanda
on that day because Mrs Mason, their
teacher, was to announce the winners of
the drawing and colouring competition.
So, it was an important day which they
didn’t want to be late for and Wanda had
not been coming to school for the past
few days.
Q.  3. Where in the classroom does Wanda sit
and why? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
Lesson 7  Glimpses of India
Q. 1. Why is Coorg called the land of rolling
hills? [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2020]
Ans. Coorg is called the land of rolling hills be-
Topper’s Answers
Ans. Wanda sits in the seat next to the last seat
in the last row in Room 13. She belongs
to a poor family of Boggins Heights. Her
feet are usually caked with dry mud and
the corner of the classroom in which she
sits is also very dirty. In order to avoid
the embarrassment and being laughed
at by her classmates, Wanda sits there to
hide herself.
Q.  4. Why did Maddie write a note to Peggy
and then tore it?
 [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. Maddie wrote a note to Peggy to make
her stop making fun of Wanda. But she
tore it because she thought that it could
annoy Peggy and Peggy could make fun
of her instead.
Q.  5. How were Peggy and Maddie different
from Wanda? [CBSE, Term 1, 2016]
Ans. Peggy and Maddie were rich and had lots
of dresses. On the other hand, Wanda was
very poor and she used to wear shabby
clothes to the school duet to which, Peggy
and Maddie made fun of her.
Q.  6. Who was Peggy? Why and how did she
make fun of Wanda?
 [CBSE, Term 1, 2015]
Ans. Peggy was the most popular girl in the
school. She was proud of her beauty and
money. She made fun of Wanda because
she always wore a faded blue dress. She
would also tease her about her hundred
dresses.
cause it has a lot of hills and is itself a hill
station. The hills seem to roll down in a
panoramic view.
Q. 2. Why were the children fascinated by the
baker? How did they show their eager-
ness to see him? [CBSE OD, Set 3, 2020]
Ans. The baker or the pader used to be an
essential part of the Goan’s life. He sold
bread in different shapes and tastes
which was a popular part of the Goan
cuisine. The children were not fascinated
by the baker’s jingle or by the loaves of
bread he sold but were attracted by the
bread bangles or the special sweet bread
that he sold.The children would know
about his arrival from the ‘jhang, jhang’
sound of his bamboo stick. They would
run to meet and greet him. They tried
to surround the basket but were pushed
aside until the bread was delivered to the
maid. Then they were allowed to choose
their bread-bangles.
The bread-bangles fascinated the chil-
dren and made them eager for the arrival
of the baker.
Q.  3. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
The baker usually collected his bills at
the end of the month. Monthly accounts
used to be recorded on some wall in
pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable
profession in the old days. The baker
and his family never starved. He, his
family and his servant always looked
happy and prosperous. Their plump
physique was an open testimony to this.
Even today any person with a jackfruit-
like physical appearance is easily
compared to a baker.
(a)  Where did the baker record his
accounts?
(b) Why did the baker and his family
never starve?
(c) Which word in the extract is a syno-
nym of ‘rich’?
(d)  How can a baker be identified in
Goa? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. (a) The baker recorded his accounts on
some wall in pencil.
(b) The baker and his family never starved
because baking was a profitable
profession in the old days.
(c) The synonym of the word ‘rich’ is
prosperous.
(d) A baker can be identified in Goa if he has
a jackfruit- like physical appearance.
Q. 4. What excited Rajvir? Why did Pranjol
not share his excitement?
 [CBSE, 2018]
Ans. The beautiful secenery and wide range ot
green tea gardens excited Rajvir. Pranjol
did not share his excitement since he was
born and brought up in Assam, a place
familiar to him.
Q.  5. What do the elders in Goa still love to
remember?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
Ans. The elders in Goa still love to remember the
good old Portuguese days. They remember
the loaves of bread as well as the makers of
bread; the people who mixed the flour to
make bread, the molders who molded the
flour. They still remember the furnaces and
the sounds of the baker’s bamboo.
Q.  6. What legends are associated with the
origin of tea?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. There are a few legends associated with
tea. The Chinese legend describes how a
few leaves of the twigs burning under the
pot fell into the boiling water and lend
it some flavor. While the Indian legend
describes how Bodhidharma cut off his
eyelids during meditation because he
felt sleepy. He threw these eyelids on the
earth. Out of those eyelids grew ten tea
plants, which when tolled with water and
drunk to banksh sleep.
Q. 7. What do we learn about the financial
condition of the bakers of Goa?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. The bakers of Goa led a prosperous life.
Baking was a profitable profession in the
old days as bakers never starved. The
families and servants of these bakers
always looked happy and prosperous.
Their plum physique is an open testimony
of their prosperity.
Q.  8. The people of Coorg have a tradition of
courage and bravery. How has it been
recognised in modern India?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 2, 2015]
Ans. The people of Coorg have a tradition of
courage and bravery. The Coorg regi-
ment is one of the most decorated in the
Indian army. The first chief of the Indian
Army was a Coorgi — General Cariappa.
Kodavus are the only people in India to
be allowed to carry fire arms without
licence.
Q.  9. What proves Kodavu people’s Arab
descent?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 3, 2015]
Ans. The theory of Arab origin draws support
Lesson 9  Madam Rides the Bus
Q. 1. How did Valli fulfil her desire to ride a
bus to the town and back?
[CBSE OD, Set 2, 2020]
Ans. Valli was an eight-year-old girl who had a
strong desire to take a bus ride. She heard
the people around talking about bus rides
and silently gathered all the information
required before she took her first ride.
She saved every single penny possible
so that she could take a return journey in
the bus. Eventually, one afternoon when
Valli’s mother was taking an afternoon
nap post lunch, Valli sneaked out of the
house for her first bus ride. 
She boarded the bus on her own and
shunned the conductor when he offered
help and called her ‘madam’. She stood
up on the seat to enjoy the views around
the bus when she could not see them
clearly while sitting. 
On her return journey, she enjoyed the
same natural sights around but her face
fell when she saw a dead cow hit by a fast
moving vehicle. The memory of the dead
cow haunted Valli. She no longer wanted
to see out of the window and kept sitting
on her seat until her village came. She got
down and wished the conductor to see
him again. The conductor smiled. He told
Valli that whenever she felt like riding the
bus she could come and join them.
Q.  2. What was the most fascinating thing
that Valli saw on the street?
 [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on
the street was the bus that travelled between
from the dress worn by the Kadagus.
They wear a long, black coat with an em-
broidered waist — belt. Known as kup-
pia, it resembles the Kuffia, worn by the
Arabs and the Kurds.
Q.  10. Which season is the best to visit Coorg?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 3, 2015]
Ans. The best season to visit Coorg is from
September to March. The weather is
perfect with a few shower and the smell
of invigorating coffee.
her village and the nearest town filled with
new sets of passengers each time.
Q.  3. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
Once we decide to achieve something,
so many difficulties come in our way.
With focused attention we can make that
achievement. How did Valli succeed in
fulfilling her desire of riding a bus?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
Ans. Eight-year-old Valli’s desire was to take
a ride on the bus that travelled between
her village and the nearest town. Her
desire was so strong that it made herd-
overcome her fears prompting her to plan
her trip meticulously. She collected all
the details of the journey and saved every
coin that came her way. She maintained
her self-respect so much that she does
not even get tempted to go for shopping.
After taking all the precautions to ensure
that she has a safe journey, she fulfilled
her dream of riding in a bus. Despite
her young age, she returned back home
safely. Valli taught us that once we decide
to achieve something, many difficulties
may come our way but with courage and
confidence, we can accomplish the task.
Q.  4. Answer the following question in 80–
100 words
Whenever we want to achieve some-
thing difficulties always come in our
way. What did Valli have to do to go and
ride in a bus?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
Ans. Ambition is the key to the fulfillment of
one’s needs. One must always be ambi-
tious in life. Valli was a simple girl who
had ambitions. Her greatest ambition
or her growing desire was to ride a bus.
This desire stemmed from watching the
bus pass through her village everyday.
All this intrigued her. To undertake her
first bus journey, she did her bit of re-
search. She watched the bus, took a note
of its schedule and listened to people’s
conversations about their journey by
bus. She even found out the fare of the
bus, which was 30 paise for a trip. Grad-
ually, she used all of this information to
collect money for the bus fare as well as
to undertake her first bus journey.
Q.  5. How did Valli react when she saw the
dead cow by the roadside?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. Valli was extremely excited about her
bus journey. She had carefully planned
and saved for this journey. On her return
journey, when she saw the dead cow on
the roadside she became sad. She lost
her enthusiasm to see the dead cow. She
became pensive and had negative views
towards life.
Q.  6. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall
and have a drink? What does it tell you
about her?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. Valli had accumulated only sixty paise,
which was the cost of her bus ride be-
tween her village and the nearest town
and did not have enough money to spend
at the stall. This shows that Valli was a
firm and decisive little girl.
Q. 7. Why does the conductor call Valli,
‘Madam’?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 3, 2015]
Ans. The conductor called Valli ‘Madam’ as
he was impressed by her self-confidence.
Even though she was just eight, she was
travelling all alone in the bus, Moreover,
Valli claimed that she had paid the full
fare i.e. thirty paise. the fare was thirty rupees. She stopped the
Q.  8. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow.
“Don’t you want to have a look at the
sights, now that you’re here?
“All by myself? Oh, I ‘d be much too
afraid.“
Greatly amused by the girl’s way of
speaking, the conductor said, “But you
weren’t afraid to come in the bus."
“Nothing to be afraid of about that, “she
answered.
(a) Who is the ‘girl’ mentioned in the
passage?
(b) Why didn’t she get off the bus when
she reached her destination?
(c) Write the meaning of the word,
“amused.“
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. (a) The girl mentioned is Valli, a eight-
year-old girl.
(b) Valli only wanted the experience of
travelling in a bus. She boarded it and
stayed in it for the return journey.
(c) caused to laugh at/delighted/pleased
charmed.
Q.  9. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
“Never mind,“ she said, “I can get on
by myself.“ “You don’t have to help me,
“said Valli to the conductor. She shows
extraordinary courage in making the bus
journey all alone. Taking inspiration
from Valli’s character, write how ability
and courage to take risk are essential to
fulfill one’s dream.
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. Valli was an eight year old girl and was
very curious about the world around
her. She sat at the front door of her house
watching all the different activities. She
did not have friends of her own age.
 One of the things that fascinated her the
most was the bus that travelled between
her village and the nearest town. She saw
new passengers in it every day. She was
so obsessed by it that she wanted to get
an opportunity to travel in it. The town
was six miles away from the village and
bus and had the joy ride. The conductor
was really sweet to her and called her
‘madam’. She travelled back in the same
bus.
  Valli’s experience illustrates that if we
have a dream and work towards it we will
Lesson 10  The Sermon at Benares
Q. 1. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn the
second time that she had failed to learn
the first time? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2020]
Ans. Kisa Gotami understood that death is
common to all and that she was being
selfish in her grief. She understood this
only the second time because it was then
that she found there was not single house
where somebody’s beloved had not died.
At the first time, she was only thinking
about her grief and was therefore, asked
for a medicine that could bring back
her son. At second time, when she met
Buddha, he asked her to get a handful
of mustard seeds from a house where no
one had ever died. He did this purposely
to make her realise that there was not a
single house where no beloved had ever
died, and that death is natural. When she
went to all the houses for the second time,
she felt dejected that she could not gather
the mustard seeds. Then, when she sat
and thought about it, she realised that the
fate of men is such that they live and die.
Death is common to all. This was what
Buddha has intended her to understand.
Q. 2. Describe the journey of Sidhartha
Gautama becoming the Buddha.
[CBSE Delhi, Set 2, 2020]
Ans. Gautama Buddha began his life as a
royal prince. He was named Siddhartha
Gautama. At twelve, Gautama was sent
away for schooling in the Hindu sacred
scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he
returned home to marry a princess. The
prince was deliberately shielded from all
sufferings of the world by his family. But
this attempt was failed when the prince
chanced upon a sick man while he was
out hunting. Then, he saw a weak aged
man and a funeral procession. Finally,
he saw a monk, begging for alms. These
sights of suffering, sickness and decay,
shocked the prince. He wanted to seek
be successful. It only requires courage to
face all risks and odds just like Valli did.
the final solution of all these sorrows and
sufferings. He wandered for seven years
in search of enlightenment. Finally, he sat
down under a fig tree. He meditated there
until he was enlightened after seven days.
He renamed the tree as the Bodhi Tree
or the Tree of Wisdom. He then finally
came to be known as the ‘Buddha’, the
‘Awakened’ or the Enlightened one. The
Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares
on the River Ganges.
Q.  3. Why did Gotami go to the Buddha?
What lesson did he teach her? 
 [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. Kisa Gotami was a young woman who
belonged to a wealthy family. She was
married to a merchant. When her one-
year old child fell ill and died, she was
grief-stricken and couldn’t bear his death.
She took her dead child in her arms and
went door to door begging everyone to
tell the way to get her child back to life.
Nobody helped her and instead thought
her to be crazy but she didn’t give up.
Then she came across a Buddhist who
suggested her to meet Buddha as only he
could help him. That’s why Gotami went
to Buddha.
 Buddha taught her the lesson of
life and truth. When she told Buddha
the whole story, he listened to it with
patience and asked her to collect
mustard seeds from a house where
no one had ever died. She went from
house to house but she couldn’t find
a single house where no one had ever
died. Ultimately, she understood what
Buddha had been trying to explain
her that suffering is inevitable and in
this way, she realised that death is the
ultimate truth and one has to meet his
destined end one day, no one can avoid it.
So, she took her child away and became
Buddha’s follower.
Q. 4. How did Kisa Gotami realise that life
and death is a normal process?
 [CBSE Delhi, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. Kisa Gotami was devastated by the death
of her only son. When, Buddha asked
her to bring a handful of mustard seeds
from a house where people had not lost
a loved one to death, her futile search for
such a house made her realise the bitter
truth that everything in this world is
subject to death. She eventually realised
that life and death is a normal process
and is common for all.
Q.  5. What lesson on death and suffering did
the Buddha teach Gotami in the chapter,
‘The Sermon at Benares’ [CBSE, 2018]
Ans. In his sermon at Benares, Buddha
taught Gotami that the life of mortals
is brief, troubled and combined with
pain. Death is common for all, it cannot
be avoided. He compared human life
to ripe fruits that eventually decay
or as earthen vessels that will break
someday. Neither a father nor his
kinsmen can save anyone. Weeping or
grieving cannot bring back the dead to
life nor bring peace of mind but only
cause pain and suffering to the grieving
body. One should accept death without
lamentation, complaint and overcome
sorrow and grief thus, bringing peace
of mind, which is a blessing.

Topper’s Answers

Q.  6. Read the extract given below and ans- (c) Give the meaning of the word, ‘shiel-
wer the questions that follow: ded’. [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
At about the age of twenty-five, the Ans. (a) Gautam Buddha was born as a prince
Prince, heretofore shielded from named ‘Siddhartha Gautama’.
sufferings of the world, while out (b) Prince Siddhartha Gautama was out
hunting chanced upon a sick man, then
on hunting and he got a chance to
an aged man, then a funeral procession
and finally a monk begging for alms. notice different sights of sufferings.
(a) Name the Prince. First a sick man, then an aged man, a
(b) What are the sights of sufferings that funeral procession and lastly a monk
the Prince saw? (Any 2) begging for alms.
 (c) ‘Shielded’ in this context means safe
guarded.
Q.  7. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
“The life of mortals in this world is
troubled and brief and combined with
pain..... .’’ With this statement of the
Buddha, find out the moral value that
Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her
child. [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. Kisa Gotami learnt that death and
suffering are the part and parcel of life.
Nothing is everlasting and one has to
accept this truth in the hour of grief.
Detaching themselves from worldly life
and the farsightedness to gain peace
of mind one must remain clam and
composed. Weeping and grieving does
not bring peace but pain, which will
affect the body. People who are wise,
never complain or lament over their loss.
They accept the truth and are blessed
with it. So, the wisdom lies in the fact
that people should not get distressed
with pain, suffering and death.
Q. 8. Why was Kisa Gotami sad? What did
she do in her hour of grief?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. Kisa Gotami was sad because she had lost
her only son. She carried the dead child
to all the neighbours asking them for
medicine to cure her child.
Q.  9. Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to
house? [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. Kisa Gotami had only son, and he died
so in her grief, she carried the dead child
to all her neighbours, asking them for
medicine.
Q.  10. Why did the Buddha choose Benares to
preach his first sermon?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. Benares is a most holy dipping places
on the River Ganges, which is usually
crowded with pilgrims who come to get
a dip thus getting rid of their sorrows and
sufferings. Buddha‘s aim was to lessen
the suffering of human.
Q.  11. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
Through ‘The Sermon at Benares‘,
the Buddha preached that death is
inevitable and we need to overcome the
suffering and pain that follows. Based
on your reading of the lesson, write
how one should cope with the death of a
loved one.
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2015]
Ans. Everything we need to achieve has to
undergo pain and suffering. We must
let go of grief and sorrow and even the
fear of death to step out into the world
to achieve something. World is afflicted
with death and decay nothing is spared
and no one can avoid it. If we fear or
grieve over the death of our loved one
it will not lessen our sorrow nor will the
person come back to life in fact we will
end up spoiling our own health instead
peace of mind.
 Surrendering selfishness and leading a
virtuous life is the safest option.
Q.  12. Read the extract given below and ans-
wer the questions that follow.
Mark! while relatives are looking on and
lamenting deeply, one by one mortals
are carried off, like an ox that is led to
the slaughter. So the world is afflicted
with death and decay, therefore the wise
do not grieve, knowing the terms of the
world.
(a) What is the fate of mortals?
(b) Why do the wise not grieve?
(c) Write the meaning of the word,
‘lamenting’.
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 2, 2015]
Ans. (a) The fate of mortals of that all of us
have to bow down to death some day.
(b) The wise do not grieve because they
know death is certain, death is univer-
sal.
(c) Mourning.
Q.  13. What did the Buddha want Kisa Gotami
to understand? 
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 3, 2015]
Ans. Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to
understand that death is inevitable. There
is no use of lamenting over it but be wise
to accept it as a fact of life.
 Lesson 11  The Proposal
Q.  1. How did Chubukov react when Lomov
asked for the hand of his daughter in
marriage? [CBSE OD, Set 1, 2019]
Ans. Chubukov was extremely cheerful and
excited when Lomov asked for the hand
of his daughter in marriage. He embraced
and kissed Lomov on his forehead and
shed tears of joy. He exclaimed with
happiness that it was his heartfelt desire.
He was of the opinion that Lomov would
turn out to be the perfect match for his
daughter, so he showered his blessings
upon Lomov after hearing this.
Q.  2. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
‘‘But, please, Stephen Stepanovitch, he
can they be yours? Do be a reasonable
man ! My anunt’s grandmother gave the
Meadows for the temporary and free use
of your grandfather’s peasants. The pea-
sants used the land for forty years and
got accustomed to it as if it was their
own, when it happened that .............
(a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(b) Why did his aunt’s grandmother
give the meadows?
(c) Why did the peasant treat the land as
their own?
(d) What light do these lines throw on
the speaker’s character?
 [CBSE, 2018]
Ans. (a) Lomov is the speaker of the above
lines.
(b) Lomov’s aunt’s grandmother gave the
meadows to his grandfather’s peasants
in return for making bricks for her. The
land was for free and temporary use.
(c) The peasants used the land given to
them for forty years. As a result, they got
accustomed to the land as their own.
(d) The speaker comes across as a logical
and courteous person. The speaker’s
character can be depicted as that of a
rational yet polite man.
Q.  3. “Why, you’re in evening dress ! Well, I
never ! Are you going to a ball or what?
Though I must say you look better ......“
(a) Who is speaking and to whom?
(b) Why is the person spoken to about
an evening dress?
(c) What does the word, ‘ball’ mean
here?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2017]
Ans. (a) Natalya is speaking to Lomov.
(b) Lomov, dressed in an evening dress
had come there to propose to Natalya.
(c) The word ‘ball’ here refers to a formal
dance party.
Q.  4. Read the extract given below and ans-
wer the questions that follow:
‘‘Please don’t shout ! You can shout
yourself hoarse in your own house but
here I must ask you to restrain yourself !’‘
(a) Who is speaking and to whom?
(b) What is the dispute over?
(c) What does the word, ‘restrain’ mean?
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1 2017]
Ans. (a) Natalya is speaking to Lomov.
(b) The dispute is between Lomov and
Natalya over the ownership of Oxen
Meadows.
(c) The word ‘restrain’ means check or
control.
Q.  5. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
Neighbours must have a cordial relati-
onship which Lomov and Natalya do
not have. Describe the first fight bet-
ween them.
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. Lomov and Chubukov were next door
neighbours and Lomov had come with
a marriage proposal for Chubukov’s
daughter Natalya. Lomov on introducing
himself to Natalya, spoke of his
ownership of ‘Oxen Meadows’ which led
to the first quarrel between Lomov and
Natalya who also claimed the ownership
of the said land. Lomov explained to
Natalya how the land was given to Natalya’s
great grandfather’s peasants in return for
making bricks and since it was in their
custody for forty years, they considered it
to be Natalya’s meadow. This argument
continued till Natalya agreed to present
the Meadows to Lomov who rejected
the offer and the quarrel continued.
 This couple, unlike other, were very
materialistic and they lacked the basic
qualities like tolerance, or consideration
that would make their marriage
successful.
Q. 6. Why does Chubukov suspect Lomov
when he comes to his house?
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. Lomov was dressed formally. So Chubukov
thought that he was going somewhere.
Also Lomov said that he had come to seek
help. This made Chubukov suspect that
Lomov had come for borrowing money.
Q.  7. Answer the following question in
80–100 words:
Chekov has used humour and
exaggeration in the play to comment
on courtship, in his times. Illustrate
with examples from the lesson, ‘The
Proposal.‘ Also mention the values, you
think, any healthy relationship requires.
 [CBSE OD, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. The Proposal is one of Anton Chekov‘s
famous plays where he uses humor and
exaggeration in the play to provide a
commentary on courtship in his times.
Chekov, has used several stereotypes
that help play their part beautifully in
the play. Lomov, Natalya “the shrew‘,
Chubukov “the hypocrite father“ all help
in adding humor to the play. Lomov
uses exaggerated actions that, sometimes
exceeds the limits of common sense like,
Lomov gulping down water, putting his
hand to the heart or running to the door
and staggering out.
 Another interesting aspect of this
storytelling is how the story progresses
from cordiality to the hurling of insults
as seen when Lomov called Chubukov
‘a swindle‘ and Chubukov promptly
calling Lomov an ‘intriguer‘. The
elements of exaggeration and absurdity
set the tone of ridicule, which mars the
elements of love and romance that is
intended in the play. The playwright
through this pay ironically emphasizes
the courtesy, sincerity, love and mutual
understanding are the keys to a healthy
relationship.
Q.  8. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
These meadows aren’t worth much to
me. They only come to five dessiatins,
and are worth perhaps 300 roubles, but
I can’t stand unfairness. Say what you
will, I can’t stand unfairness.
(a) Who speaks the above lines and to
whom?
(b) How much are the meadows worth?
(c) Find a word in the extract that means
‘not based on what is just.’
 [CBSE Delhi, Term 2, Set 1, 2016]
Ans. (a) Natalya speaks the above lines to
Lomov.
(b) The meadows measure approximately
five dessiantins and possibly worth
300 roubles.
(c) The word in the extract for ‘not based
on what is just’ is “unfairness”.