Knowledge Assessment 37

Knowledge Assessment
(Detailed Answers)

English Language and Literature

Class 10th
Prose
Chapter 1 A Letter to God

1. A. (i) Lencho was s God-fearing man. He had immense faith in God and hoped that only God could help him
to get out of the difficult situation he was in. He was also a very hard-working man and knew how to
read and write.
(ii) (c) A narrative from the point of view of an omniscient narrator, who knows everything about the story
and the character.
(iii) (b) Write a letter to God
(iv) The given statement indicates that Lencho was a sincere, dedicated and hard working man.
B. (i) The house described in the extract belongs to Lencho and his family.
(ii) The author has described the scene viewed from Lencho’s house very picturesquely. From the
house, one could see a river and the beautiful yellow field of corn.
(iii) (c) Solitary
(iv) dotted
2. (i) Lencho compared the raindrops to ‘new coins’ because his crops were ready for harvest but they
needed a good downpour. With good rains, his crops will flourish and he would be able to sell the
harvest to earn money. The raindrops would make a good harvest and thereby bring new coins to
Lencho.
(ii) To keep the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster answered the letter. Upon reading Lencho’s request
for a hundred pesos, he asked for money from his employees and gave a part of his salary. He was
able to collect a little more than half the required amount and put the money in an envelope
addressed to Lencho.
(iii) When the postmaster read Lencho’s letter requesting God to send him hundred pesos, he was so
affected by it that he collected the money and signed the letter as God so that Lencho’s faith does
not get shaken. He wanted to keep Lencho’s faith in God alive and firm.
(iv) Lencho suspected that the people from the post office had taken his money.
The irony in this situation is that the people he thought took his money were the ones who were
contributing and sending him the money.
(v) No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money to him.
The reason was that he could not believe that it could be anybody other than God who would send him
the money. His faith in God was so strong that he believed that only God had sent money to him.
(vi) According to me, if Lencho’s wife got to know about the letter she would not have supported his idea.
She would have preferred praying to God as a way to seek help. The woman would not have had such
blind faith as to think that she could send a mail to God. She would have considered the letter to be a
foolish act.
38 English Language and Literature Class 10

3. A. The postmaster is rightly depicted as a representative of God because he managed to collect money for
Lencho who was helpless at that time. As God can’t be physically present everywhere to help his children,
people believe that he relieves their sufferings through his representatives. Herein, that representative is
the postmaster who acts as the epitome of humanity.
When Lencho needed money he had written a letter to God asking for 100 pesos. The postmaster found
this letter and eventually decided on helping Lencho. He, using his salary and borrowed little amounts of
money from the other employees, collected 70 pesos and put them in an envelope addressing himself as
God so that Lencho’s faith in God was not broken. When Lencho was in trouble, the postmaster helped
him without looking for anything in return. So, in this way the postmaster was a representative of God.
B. Existence of the Humanity
The story ‘A Letter to God’ written by GL Fuentes reinforces our faith in humanity. After reading the
story, we come to know that there still are people who help others without any self-interest.
In the story, the postmaster and other post office employees illustrate an example of humanity and
kindness for others.
They were so moved by Lencho’s faith in God that they decided to help him to keep his faith alive and firm.
Even though it was not possible for them to collect hundred pesos, they managed to collect seventy pesos
and kept them in the envelope for Lencho. They signed on it ‘God’ to further reinforce Lencho’s sincere faith.
This act shows us the true picture of humanity and motivates us to be noble and kind.

Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela-Long Walk to

Freedom
1. A. (i) (b) A autobiographical account of an event which covers the author’s point of view regarding the event
and all other things associated with it.
(ii) (b) African patriots
(iii) The day had come in the life of the author and millions of other people through courage, sufferings and
many sacrifices of the speaker’s people.
(iv) simply
B. (i) (d) Its people
(ii) The speaker believes that the people of his country are very valuable. They, according to the speaker,
are the greatest wealth of his country and are finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
(iii) The people of Africa are compared to the purest diamonds and all other gems that are present in the
lands of Africa.
(iv) True. This statement would not be called a hypothesis, assumption, premise or theory.
2. (i) During the apartheid era, many countries had severed diplomatic ties with South Africa. Most of
those countries’ leaders were present to attend Mandela’s swearing-in ceremony. This was a gesture
of international recognition, which Nelson Mandela was thanking them for.
(ii) Mandela did not have the hunger for freedom as a boy; he thought that he was born free, as long as he
obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe. Gradually, he grew up realising that he and
his black brethren were not really free. This realisation culminated into a hunger for the freedom of his
people.
(iii) South Africa was under the policy of apartheid before Nelson Mandela became the President. The
country was declared an outlaw by other nations. Nelson Mandela abolished apartheid and rebuilt
the diplomatic relations with other countries.
To celebrate this historic moment in South Africa, many international leaders attended the inauguration
and celebrated the victory of peace.
(iv) Mandela realised early in his youth that not only his freedom but the freedom of all the blacks in his
country was curtailed. The desire of living in a non-racial society changed him into a virtuous and
self-sacrificing man. To fulfill this purpose, he joined the African National Congress which changed him
from a frightened young man into a bold man.
(v) No, according to Mandela, an African cannot fulfil the twin-personal and social obligations. From his
experience, Mandela believed that only white people in South Africa could do so. The black South
African was not free to live like a human. If they tried to fulfil their obligations, they were punished and
isolated for being involved in the rebellions.
 Knowledge Assessment 39

(vi) Mandela always thought that both the oppressor and the oppressed are deprived of their humanity.
According to him, the oppressor is a prisoner of hatred and he is locked behind the bars of prejudice
and narrow mindedness. So, both of them need to be liberated. He always desired people to live with
dignity and respect.
3. A. Monday 24th August, 20XX
9:00 pm
Dear Diary
My heart is filled with sadness as I think of the oppressed who had to tolerate the inhuman attitude of the
oppressors in their own land. Indian farmers were forced by Britishers to grow indigo in place of rice in
their fields. It fetched a handsome amount of money for Britishers but the farmers had to survive on less
food and less income. The English looted the poor women’s dignity. No female was safe in the British era.
Tears roll down my eyes when I think of the physical and mental torture that our freedom fighters faced.
Everyone knows how cruel general Dyer turned a meeting into a massacre! These wounds are
deep-rooted in the hearts of every Indian which can never be healed.
Nelson
B. Discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, skin colour etc. is totally unjustified. The question which
arises in my mind is how one can decide if one is superior to others. Is their birth in the so called upper
caste a virtue for them?
Have the people of the so called lower caste committed some crime by being born into a low caste family?
Definitely not. When Nelson Mandela talks about how discrimination existed in his country one needs to
understand that there can be no convincing argument which proves that any discrimination is correct. We
live in a free society.
Every section of the society has equal rights. We can’t call ourselves free if social and racial segregation
exist in our country.

Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying

(Part 1: His First Flight)

1. A. (i) (a) The seagull
(ii) The little seagull’s parents were teaching the art of flying, the art of skimming the waves and diving for
fish to his brothers and sisters.
(iii) ‘His’ elder brother has caught his first herring.
(iv) devour
B. (i) ‘She’ in the extract is the seagull’s mother, ‘she’ stopped midway while giving the fish to the seagull as
she wanted the seagull to fly out of hunger.
(ii) (c) he started flying
(iii) (c) A narrative from the point of view of an omniscient narrator, who knows everything about the story
and the character.
(iv) hungry
2. (i) The young seagull, like all young ones, was afraid to fly. Even though it saw its siblings flying with the
help of its parents, it lacked the courage to do so. His father and mother were calling shrilly and
scolding it and even threatening to let it starve on its cliff, to cajole it to fly.
(ii) The young seagull was very hungry. When it saw its mother tearing at a piece of fish, it pleaded with her
to get some food. Its mother stopped midway with food in her beak. This insatiable urge for food
forced the seagull to fly.
(iii) In order to attract his mother’s attention, the young seagull stood on one leg and pretended to be
falling asleep on the brink of the ledge. It closed its eyes and hid its other leg under its wing, to attract
its mother’s attention.
(iv) The young seagull was afraid of flying as it was a steep fall to the sea. The sea expanse was vast that it
thought that its wings would not support it and it would die. So, it avoided flying and preferred staying
back alone on its ledge.
40 English Language and Literature Class 10

3. The story of the young seagull is a very good example for showing how fear can hold you as a prisoner. The
seagull is a bird. It is meant to fly. Without flying, it cannot survive. But the young seagull is so scared that it
doesn’t want to fly or even try to fly. He constantly fears that he would get hurt and stays hungry and helpless
on the cliff.
The same thing happens with humans also. Fear cripples one’s mind. We cannot live to our full potential if
we are caught in the shackles of fear. One should aim to be free from fear. If one wants to achieve success
in life, one has to fight one’s demons. Only then can one move ahead in life to reach one’s goal.

(Part 2 : The Black Aeroplane)

1. A. (i) (a) Clear sky with ideal climatic conditions
(ii) The speaker was going to his home in England.
(iii) The speaker seems to be in a cheerful mood because he was travelling back to his hometown where
he would meet his family.
(iv) (c) A narrative from the point of view of an omniscient narrator, who knows everything about the story
and the character.
B.(i) (d) It was moving in a zig-zag manner.
(ii) False
(iii) The speaker was flying an old Dakota aeroplane. It was impossible to see anything outside the
aeroplane because there were dark clouds all around.
(iv) twisted
2. (i) A huge storm was standing between the pilot and his destination. Flying through the storm could be
very risky, especially for small planes like the old Dakota. But as the pilot was going on a holiday to
meet his family, he thought of taking the risk and reaching his destination in time for breakfast.
(ii) As instructed by the Paris control, the writer turned his aeroplane, Dakota, west towards England.
Suddenly, he saw the storm of cloud. It looked like black mountains. It was impossible to cross it and
he did not have enough fuel to fly around it. So, he decided to go back to Paris.
(iii) When the writer’s aeroplane, Dakota, was lost in the storm, he saw another aeroplane that came for his
rescue. It had no light on its wings.
Dakota followed the mysterious plane that guided him through the mountains of black clouds and took
the writer safely across the clouds.
(iv) The difficulties that the narrator faced were that all the instruments of his aeroplane stopped working.
He could not see anything as there were dark clouds all around. The radio of his plane became dead
and the compass was turning round and round.
3. Yes, I agree that this is a mystery story. The narrator was flying his old Dakota plane on a clear night sky.
The flying was easy in a quiet sky. However, very suddenly and mysteriously he saw black storm clouds in
the sky. He had limited fuel, so he could neither fly over the clouds nor go back to Paris.
So, he entered the storm clouds. Inside the storm clouds, everything was dark. The narrator could not see
anything outside the plane. Again mysteriously, all the equipments of the plane had stopped working and
the narrator was lost.
Suddenly, a mysterious black plane with no lights came there in the storm. Its pilot guided him through the
black clouds. He took him out of a dangerous situation and in this way he landed safely. After the narrator
had landed, he wanted to thank the pilot for helping him in that severe situation. But he was surprised to
know that only his aeroplane was seen on the radar.
Hence, ‘The Black Aeroplane’ is a mystery story.

Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank

1. A. (i) (c) Her diary

(ii) Anne wanted to write each and every detail of her life in her diary.
(iii) Anne wanted to keep a diary as she did not have any close and true friends whom she could confide in.
Though she had friends, she was never able to truly open up about her feelings to them.
(iv) True
B. (i) (a) A Chatterbox
(ii) She was assigned an essay as a punishment for talking too much in class.
 Knowledge Assessment 41

(iii) Mr. Keesing assigned Anne to write an essay. She wrote in her essay that talking was a necessary trait
for any student.
(iv) (a) An autobiographical account describing the author’s feelings and thought regarding an event in her
life.
2. (i) A good introduction helps to draw the reader’s attention. By providing a brief sketch of her life, Anne
gives an overview of herself, her family, her relatives and her surroundings. This helps the reader to
develop a connection with her.
(ii) Anne, while writing her diary, says that no one could understand her intensity of her love for her
grandmother. Moreover, the heart touching gesture of lighting up one candle for her grandmother on her
birthdays shows that she loved her grandmother.
(iii) Anne justified her being a chatterbox in her essay by explaining that talking was a student’s trait and
that she would try to cure it. But being talkative was incurable as she had inherited this trait from her
mother and no one could cure an inherited trait.
(iv) Anne was a talkative student in the class. She got punished by Mr. Keesing her maths teacher. He
asked her to write essays as a punishment which is learning in disguise because he wanted her to
focus on her studies.
(v) Mr. Keesing like most teachers seemed to be a strict teacher. But he actually believed in taking actions
with good intentions and for the development of children. He tried to control Anne’s bad habit of talking
too much. However, as soon as he was convinced that her habit did not affect her studies, he
overlooked Anne’s shortcoming.
(vi) Anne believes that no one would be interested in reading a diary of a 13-year old teenager. In addition,
she would not let anyone read her diary because she would share all her secrets with it.
These statements by Anne are ironical because after her death, her father Otto Frank published it and
then it was translated in many languages of the world. Today, it had become one of the most read
books of all time.
3. A. ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’ clearly describes the teacher-student relationship, class atmosphere and
discipline. Anne, who talks a lot in the class, gets punished by Mr. Keesing, her Maths teacher. He gets
annoyed with her because of her talkative nature and gave her a punishment. He asked her to write
essays on the subject, ‘A Chatterbox’.
It was actually a blessing in disguise because he wanted her to focus on studies. He could not be blamed
for the punishment as he did it for the development of Anne. Thus, here the teacher-student relationship is
very respectful. Such a relationship is about discipline and classroom manners. These are essential for
every student as well as a teacher, otherwise both teaching and learning could be hampered.
This relationship is clearly shown in Mr. Keesing’s and Anne Frank’s actions. They both try to play a joke
on each other, but in a very humorous and healthy manner. So, this healthy relationship is needed in the
classroom for effective teaching and learning.
B. There is an old saying that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. This saying is absolutely true.
War is not a way to settle disputes. The whole world is a big family. Often in a family, disputes occur. But
we don’t fight with our family members or think ill of them. We try to settle our differences in a peaceful
manner.
The same approach should be applied to other affairs also. Anne’s story is based at the time of World War
II. It presents how a young girl lived a happy life and how war ruined it. War only brings destruction. There
are no winners in a war. All it leads to a loss of not only friends and family but also of peace and happiness.

Chapter 5 Glimpses of India

(PART 1 : A Baker from Goa)

1. A. (i) (b) they were working well
(ii) The baker came with ‘a thud and jingle’ because he wanted to make people aware that he had come
around to sell his breads.
(iii) nostalgic
(iv) extinguished
B. (i) (b) To deliver the bread to the servant
(ii) The basket contained bread bangles for children and loaves for elders.
42 English Language and Literature Class 10

(iii) When the children were pushed aside by the baker they climbed a bench or the parapet to peep into
the baker’s basket.
(iv) (b) A nostalgic remembrance of the daily routine of the narrator when he was a child.
2. (i) The phrase ’jackfruit-like appearance’ means having a plump physique, like a jackfruit. Such a
physique was linked to the bakers because they never starved. Baking was a profitable profession.
The baker and his family always looked happy and prosperous and had a jackfruit like appearance.
(ii) The baker’s furnace was essential in a traditional Goan village because different kinds of breads were
required for different occasions. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as Bol.
The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement.
(iii) The children were attracted to the sweet fragrance of the bread loaves. They liked to eat the bread
bangles or the special sweet breads meant for them. Moreover, they treated the baker as their friends,
companion and guide. So, they would run to meet him when he came.
(iv) The baker made his entry with the jingling sound of his especially made bamboo stick. His one hand
supported the basket on his head and the other hand banged the bamboo on the ground. It was like a
musical entry to get people’s attention.
3. Yes, I think that our traditions, heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us. They shape our
personality and provide us with emotional support. They make us mentally strong and enable us to face a
difficult situation. They even impact our behavioural pattern towards the other people in the society. The
story highlights the importance of the traditional practice of making breads at every occasion. In Goa,
every occasion is incomplete without bread. A marriage is incomplete if it does not include a sweet bread
known as ‘Bol’. All festival and feasts are incomplete without cakes and bolinhas. Even today, the elders
remember those famous breads baked by the Portuguese bakers.
From childhood till their old age, they remember the Portuguese bread. This shows that bread is an
important part of the Goan life that continues even today. Thus, our traditional practices keep our heritage
alive and also nourishes us.
(PART 2 : Coorg)
1. A. (i) (d) All of these
(ii) A long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt resembling the Kuffia is the point of similarlity
between the Kodavus and Arabs.
(iii) (c) A brochure which gives us a picture of the places’ culture, people and tourist destination.
(iv) In the given extract, the author’s tone is informative.
B. (i) (a) Into high energy adventurists
(ii) River rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock-climbing and mountain-biking can be done in Coorg.
(iii) False
(iv) When in Coorg, the most laidback individuals change to become people who love participating in
adventure sports.
2. (i) One story about the descent of Kodagu is that they are descendants of Greeks or Arabs. A section of
Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and settled here. These people married among the
locals which influence their clothing, martial practices and marriage rituals and show a difference
from Hindu tradition.
(ii) Coorgis are said to belong to a valorous and hospitable race as their homes have tradition of
hospitality. There are innumerable tales of courage related to the people belonging to Coorg. In fact,
the Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army and the first Chief of the Indian
Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now, Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to
carry firearms without a licence.
(iii) The Coorgi tradition of courage and bravery has been recognised in India by awarding the Coorg
Regiment with the most number of gallantry awards.
Besides, the Coorgis are the only Indians allowed to carry guns without a licence. The first Chief of the
Indian Army, General Cariappa, was also a Coorgi.
(iv) The river Kaveri originates from the hills of Coorg. Mahaseer, a large freshwater fish are found in
abundance in its water. Kingfishers dive in this river for fish while elephants are bathed by their Mahout
in the river. Further, wild animals such as squirrels and langurs drop half-eaten fruit for the mischief of
enjoying the splash and ripple effect produced in the clear water.
 Knowledge Assessment 43

3. As I stepped into the land of evergreen forests, I was blown away by the pristine beauty and lush greenery of
Coorg. The invigorating coffee and spices flavour reminds us that we are in a heavenly place. This land stands
in complete contrast to the concrete jungle that we can find in the city where I live. Its natural bounty, which is
full of coffee plantations, brings one at peace and releases all the stresses and worries of city life.
The land of Coorg has plenty to offer a nature lover like me. From the variety of species of flora and fauna
to the different adventure sports that the land offers, Coorg was a pleasant surprise for me. Not to forget,
the Tibetan culture of Bylakuppe was all that was needed to make my visit to Coorg worthwhile.

(PART 3 : Tea from Assam)

1. A. (i) (d) Indian legend on tea and how it travelled from China to Europe
(ii) Rajvir had told him a story about a Chinse emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. Pranjol
scoffed because he was amused and tickled at what Rajvir had shared.
(iii) False
(iv) in sixteenth century
B. (i) (b) May to July
(ii) Rajvir wanted to spend his time discovering the beauty of Assam. He wanted to learn more about the
tea plantations of Assam.
(iii) (b) A story narrated from the perspective of an all knowing narrator.
(iv) yields
2. (i) The fact that Rajvir did his study before his visit to the tea plantation and his knowledge about the land
he was visiting shows that it is good to do research before starting a new venture.
By doing so, not only does one gets an idea about the destination but one can also plan the journey
accordingly. One can also identify places or activities of ones interest. It does not take one away from
the thrill of discovery, instead it helps in planning a better holiday.
(ii) Pranjol buried his head in his detective book because he belonged to Assam and had travelled on the
route and seen the green tea plantations many times. So he was not eager to see the scene outside.
Whereas Rajvir was travelling to Assam for the first time. So, rather than reading a book, he was
interested in looking at the beautiful scenery during the train journey.
(iii) Assam is known as ‘Tea Country’. It has the world’s largest concentration of tea plantations in the
world. A large number of tea gardens can be found there. Everywhere in Assam, a sea of tea bushes
can be seen as far as the eye could see. Most of the tea grown in Assam is supplied all over the world.
(iv) China is related to tea in many ways. According to a legend, tea was first discovered in China by a
Chinese Emperor who always boiled water before drinking. One day, a few leaves of the tea twigs fell
into the water and gave it a delicious flavour. It is believed that they were tea leaves. Further, the words
‘tea’, ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from China.
3. Yes, I believe that Assam has some of the best tea plantations in the world that makes it a unique place. In
India, some crops such as tea and coffee are grown in huge quantities. India is also home to many spices
like haldi. While Assam is home to tea, Coorg is home to coffee.
One can see enough tea gardens in Assam. Between May and July, it is the best time to yield the best tea.
On both sides of the roads of Assam, there are acre of tea-bushes, all neatly trimmed to the same height.
These plantations further use the traditional agriculture practices of India. Thus, these plantations make
India a unique country which has traditional spices and beverage plants growing within it.

Chapter 6 Mijbil the Otter

1. A. (i) (c) Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli

(ii) ‘This’ in the given extract refers to the otter’s infatuation with water. The otter in the given extract loved
to play in water.
(iii) (b) A description of the narrator’s experiences and observations.
(iv) overflows
44 English Language and Literature Class 10

B. (i) (a) Anxious

(ii) The appalling spectacle was that Mij had shredded the lining of the box and blood from airholes and
chinks had come out and dried. Also, there was complete silence from the box.
(iii) True
(iv) (iv) because he was getting late for the flight.
2. (i) The narrator was not able to communicate because the telephone lines had to be booked twenty-four
hours in advance. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the second day, the exchange was
closed for a religious reason and on the third day, there was another breakdown.
(ii) Mij spent most of his time in playing. He spent hours shuffling the rubber ball round the room like a
four-footed soccer player. His real play was when he used to juggle small objects between his paws.
Marbles were his favourite toy for his pastime.
(iii) While staying in London, Mij passed his time by playing for hours with his own selection of toys. His
favourite toys were ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit and a terrapin shell that Maxwell had bought
from his native Marshes.
(iv) It is true to say that without the assistance of the airhostess, the narrator could not have transport Mijbil
from Basra to Landon safely. Maxwell says that the airhostess was ‘the queen of her kind’ because she
was very kind and helpful. She understood the feelings of both the otter, Mijbil and the narrator and
suggested him to keep the pet on his knees.
(v) The greatest obstacle faced by the narrator in transporting Mij to Camusfearna was to make sure that it
travelled safely in the flight. The narrator knew that Mij had to be packed in the box with specific
dimensions. Mij did not like being packed and had hurt himself but he still had to be in the box.
(vi) In London, Mij followed Maxwell while walking on the streets. He developed certain habits during those
walks. He went with him like children playing, running and touching things in the street. He would take
Maxwell near the wall of a primary school and then jump on it which distracted the pupils and the staff
of the school.
3. A. The story ‘Mijbil, the Otter’ describes an age old relationship that exist between man and an animal. In the
story, the narrator, Maxwell gets an Otter named Mijbil as a pet. Initially, Mij did not show any interest in his
surrounding, but slowly he started playing in it. He developed a unique and lovely relation with the
narrator. The narrator took very good care of his pet. He made sure to keep his pet entertained and
bought him many toys including marbles, rubber balls, fruits, etc. He even made sure to take Mijbil to play
in water after realising his pet’s fascination with water.
Maxwell was keen observant of his pet’s habits and traits. He encouraged Mijbil to do what he liked and
also took him for a walk every day. He was worried when he had to pack his pet in a box and was even
more worried when he saw Mijbil covered in blood. Mijbil was happy with his owner. He would follow the
narrator when he was called. Even when he was scared in the box and the aircraft, he found contentment
with the narrator. All this shows that both of them understood and loved each other.
B. XYZ, Camusfearna
Sandaig Bay, UK
4th December, XX
Dear Gavin
Trust you are doing well. I am writing for a special reason that will surely interest you. In your last letter, you
had told me about your desire to get an otter as a pet. My suggestion is get one for you will never regret a
day in your life. Further, there will not be a day when you are bored. Every day you will learn something new
about your pet and with each passing day, your love for your pet will increase.
However, do not expect the otter to like you instantly. It was the case with Mij too. At first, Mij was not
friendly with me. He was brought to a new place and surroundings which made him stay aloof and
indifferent. But, as soon as he started becoming comfortable with the surroundings, he became friendly.
So, give your otter some space and time.
Rest assured you will be happier and relaxed in life.
Yours affectionately
Kevin
 Knowledge Assessment 45

Chapter 7 Madam Rides the Bus

1. A. (i) (a) Watching the street outside

(ii) a moving bus
(iii) Valli chose a different pastime for herself because there were no playmates of her own age in her locality.
(iv) Playmates
B. (i) (c) Both (a) and (b)
(ii) Valli found at that the bus journey to the town took 45 minutes and the two-way fare was 60 paise.
(iii) (b) A story narrated from the perspective of an all knowing narrator.
(iv) Valli listened to the conversations to gather information regarding the journey in the bus which she
wanted to take.
2. (i) Valliammai or Valli is an eight year old girl protagonist of the story ‘Madam Rides the Bus’. She appears
to be a confident child who does not like people making fun of her or pitying for her being a child. While
she is smart, she is still careful throughout the journey.
(ii) The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she was bold and was travelling alone. She needed no
assistance from anyone. The salutation ‘madam’ suited her personality. Moreover, the conductor was
a jolly fellow and teased her by the name.
(iii) On the return bus journey, Valli saw the same young cow that she had seen on her way to the town.
However, this time the cow was lying dead on the street in a pool of blood. This scene of the lovely
creature who now looked frightening and terrible dampened Valli’s excitement.
(iv) Valli made careful and painstaking plans for her first journey. She saved every penny, cut down on
her expenses and resisted all the temptations to save sixty paise for the fare. She gathered the
information from the passengers and neighbours. She calculated the time required and chose afternoon,
as her mother used to take a nap during that time.
(v) When the nearest town had reached, everyone got off the bus except Valli because she wanted to
return home in the same bus. She only wanted to take a ride on a bus. So, she gave the conductor the
fare to return home in the same bus.
(vi) Valli did not want to make friends with the elderly woman because she looked quite repulsive. She had
big earholes and was wearing ugly earrings. Apart from this, she was chewing betel and it seemed that
the juice of the betel would spill out of her mouth.
3. A. Valli planned her bus ride by listening carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who
regularly used the bus. She also asked a few questions from them. She found out that the town was six
miles from her village, the bus fare was thirty paise for one way and the bus trip took forty-five minutes.
She also thought that if she stayed in the bus and came back by the same bus, it would cost her sixty
paise. She saved up the fare by controlling herself from buying toys, peppermints etc. She did not even
take a ride on the merry-go round at the village annual fare to save money. Finally, she was able to save
sixty paise for her journey.
B. No, I don’t think that Valli did the right thing in travelling alone to the town without informing her mother. By
doing this, she put herself in an unsafe position as she could have easily been a victim of child abuse if
she came in contact with wrong people. In fact, she was lucky to return home safely. Children should
always travel along with their parents or elders as they are easy targets for criminals. We hear a lot of
instances of crimes committed against children these days like kidnapping, child abuse, molestation,
rape, etc.
Valli could have expressed her desire of travelling in the bus to her mother. I am sure that her mother
would have fulfilled her wish by taking her on a bus ride. It might happen that her mother would not allow
her that time. But being a caring mother, she would definitely take her on a ride of bus. Travelling alone is
never safe because one has no idea about the routes and might get lost. So it is always better to inform
parents before doing such acts.

Chapter 8 The Sermon at Benares

1. A. (i) The wise don’t grieve because they understand that death is inevitable. They understand that the all
hiving beings are afflicted with death and deary.
(ii) According to the extract, those who do not grieve are wise.
(iii) (d) An ox
(iv) therefore’
46 English Language and Literature Class 10

B. (i) The Buddha said the given lines in her sermon at Benares. in the extract, he highlights that no one in
this world can escape death.
(ii) (a) ripe fruits
(iii) Buddha means the awakened or the enlightened.
(iv) Buddha said about death and suffering that they are part and parcel of life. None can avoid this truth.
We have to meet our destined end one day. Whoever has come to the world, will die one day.
2. (i) Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha for help when she could not accept the reality of her son’s death.
Gautama Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death had never
occurred to show her that death is common to all.
(ii) When the Buddha had attained enlightenment, he renamed the tree as the Bodhi Tree (Tree of
Wisdom) and began to teach and share his new understandings. At that point, he became known as
the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened).
(iii) While going for hunting Gautama saw a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and a monk
begging for alms.
These sights shocked him deeply and he realised that the world is full of sorrows.
(iv) One day while hunting, Prince Siddharatha saw a sick man, then an aged man, a funeral procession
and finally a monk begging for alms. Looking at this for the first time, he left the palace to search for
enlightenment and became a beggar.
(v) Kisa Gotami realised that life and death is a normal process when she went from house to house but
was unable to find one house where nobody had died. It was when she sat down that she realised that
death is common to everyone. Those who are born will die one day.
(vi) Siddhartha demonstrated compassion, kindness and his determination in his decision to leave behind
his family and princehood. He felt sympathetic towards others. He was disturbed to see people’s
sufferings and wanted to find out a solution to eradicate their sufferings and diseases.
3. A. Gautama Buddha was born in 563 BC in a royal family. His name was Siddhartha Gautama. At the age of
twelve, he was sent away for schooling. He studied all the sacred Hindu scriptures. At the age of sixteen,
he married a princess and later they had a son. He lived a royal life for ten years and was shielded from the
sufferings of the world.
However, when he was twenty five, he saw a sick man, then an aged man and a funeral procession.
Finally, he came across a monk begging for alms. This was his first encounter with the harsh realities of
life. These sights made him so sad that he decided to renounce the worldly pleasures. He left his family
and became a monk. He went out into the world to seek spiritual knowledge.
Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years in search of wisdom and truth. Finally, he sat down under
a big peepal tree to mediate. He vowed to stay there until he got enlightenment. After seven days,
Gautama got enlightenment. He became known as 'The Buddha' which means ‘enlightened’ or ‘the
awakened’. He began to teach and spread his message of wisdom and truth.
B. A little help and guidance to those who are experiencing grief definitely helps them understand and
overcome it. Kisa Gotami suffered due to the death of her beloved son. She wanted to bring him back to
life and, thus, went to Gautama Buddha. Gautama Buddha relieved her from her pain by his guidance
and kindness. The valuable lesson that he gave her helped her realise the truth of human life. As a result,
she understood that all men are mortal and one who is born is sure to die. She also understood that death
was common to all. She was relieved, as she was extended timely support and care that she needed.

Chapter 9 The Proposal

1. A. (i) (b) While talking about their land

(ii) Oxen Meadows
(iii) The given lines tell us that Natalya is a short tempered girl ready to fight for the smallest of things.
(iv) put off
B. (i) (b) 85 roubles
(ii) Squeezer is better according to Natalya because he has a better pedigree.
(iii) To defend Squeezer, her father’s dog, Natalya states that Squeezer is young but in points/features and
pedigree he is better than many other dogs.
(iv) (a) An argument wherein two or more people with contrasting thoughts or ideas are fighting for their
cause.
 Knowledge Assessment 47

2. (i) Lomov says that on the Marusinsky hunt, Guess ran neck-to-neck with the Count’s dog while Squeezer
was very much behind. Further, the dogs ran after a fox, but Squeezer went after a sheep to show that his
dog, Guess is better than her Squeezer.
(ii) ‘The Proposal’ is a very appropriate title. Lomov goes to Natalya’s house to propose marriage to her.
He doesn’t propose at once. It is only in the end that he proposes to Natalya who too wants this
marriage but is hindered due to their arguments.
(iii) At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. Chubukov was not sincere when
he told Lomov that he had always loved him like his own son because he had decided not to give any
money to him.
(iv) When Natalya came to know that Lomov had come to propose her, she was shocked. Her angry stance
completely changed, she started crying and asked her father to fetch Lomov back. Her reaction pointed
that she had been wanting to marry him for a long time.
(v) To insult Lomov for not being a good hunter. Natalya says that he should go and lie on the kitchen
oven. She also adds that he should catch black beetles instead of foxes. Chubukov says that Lomov of
ought to sit at home with his palpitations.
(vi) Lomov wishes to propose to Natalya because he feels that 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
to lead a settled life.
3. A. It is true that the principle ‘forgive and forget’ is the foundation of all the cordial relationships in our society.
Any communication gap or misunderstandings develop better feeling which leads to enmity. In such
cases, one must sit together and resolve the issue calmly. One must learn to forgive another and forget
the issue.
In the play ‘The proposal', Anton Chekov conveys this message through two neighbours, Lomov and
Chubukov as well as Chubukov’s daughter Natalya. They started quarrelling over small issues. Initially,
the argument was about the ownership of Oxen Meadows. Then it was about their dogs. Their arguments
slowly developed into fights and they started abusing each other.
This damaged their relationship. Because of their quarrel, important issues were left behind. It was only
when Natalya came to know that Lomov had come to propose her then only the argument was left
behind. Natalya and Chubukov both asked for forgiveness and even forgot the initial argument. Hence, it
is essential to remember the principle of ‘forgive or forget’ if one wants to have cordial relationship with
others.
B. Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya lacked. When Lomov came to
Chubukov’s house to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage, Chubukov became extremely happy.
When Natalya entered the house, she also talked politely with Lomov. At the moment, when they started
talking about a stretch of land called ‘Oxen Meadows', they started arguing over its ownership claiming
the land to be theirs.
Chubukov also started arguing in favour of Natalya and cursed Lomov. As soon as this argument got
over, Lomov and Natalya again started arguing over whose dog was better. These arguments show that
they both lost their tempers on trivial issues and forgot about the marriage proposal.
They should have followed the principle of forgive and forget. They should have been courteous to each
other. They should not complaint and blame each other for trivial things. They should develop mutual
understanding and help each other.