THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

Question Bank :

1. Describe the appearance of the grandmother.

2. Describe the appearance of the grandfather.

3. Humour in the description of the grandparents.

4. How did the grandmother look after young Khushwant in the village ?

5. Why did the grandmother accompany the author to the village school ?

6. ‘That was a turning point in our friendship.’ Which was this ?

7. What was the grandmother’s attitude to Khushwant’s education at the city

school?

8. ‘The common link of friendship was snapped.” When ?

9. Which was ‘the happiest half-hour of the day’ for the grandmother ?

10. How did the grandmother behave when the author was going abroad?

11. How did the grandmother behave after the author returned from abroad ?

12. Why do you think the sparrows gathered around the grandmother’s
corpse/ did not eat the bread crumbs ?

13. Why do you think the grandmother arranged for a singing session after the
author returned from abroad ?

14. ‘I would be away for five years, and at her age one could never tell. ‘ What
could one not tell ?

15. ‘......the thought was almost revolting.’ Which thought ?

16. Why was the grandmother unhappy with the western learning that was
taught in the city school?

17. Why did the grandmother disapprove of the music lessons ?

18. ‘That was the first time since I had known her that she did not pray.’ When
was this?