CLASS 11- ENGLISH NOTES

Hornbill Chapter 1 The Portrait of a Lady

Question 1:
The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before lie left else
country to study abroad.
Answer:
The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the
country to study abroad are:

1. childhood – when he went to the village school and the grandmother helped him to
get ready and went to school with him.
2. boyhood – when he went to the city school in a bus. He shared a room with
grandmother but she could no longer help him in his studies.
3. early youth – when he went to the university and was given a room of him own.
The common link of friendship was snapped.

Hornbill Class 11 English Question 2:

Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when m started going to
the city school.
Answer:
The three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going
to the city school are:

1. She hated western Science and learning.

2. She was pained to know that there was no teaching of God and the scriptures
there.
3. She was allergic to music. She thought it was not meant for decent people and
gentlefolk. It was the monopoly of prostitutes and beggars.

Hornbill Class 11 English Question 3:

Three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up.
Answer:
The three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up are:

 She lived alone in her room as she had accepted her loneliness quietly.
 She sat at her spinning wheel reciting prayers.
 In the afternoon, she would feed the sparrows for half an hour.

Hornbill Class 11 English Question 4:

The odd ways in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer:
Just before her death, the author’s grandmother refused to talk to them. Since she
had omitted to pray the previous night while she was singing songs of homecoming and
beating the drum, she was not going to waste any more time. She ignored their
protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling beads.

Hornbill Class 11 English Question 5:

The way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother
died.
Answer:
Thousands of sparrows sat silently surrounding the dead body of the author’s
grandmother. There was no chirruping. The author’s mother threw some crumbs of
bread to them. They took no notice of them. As soon as the grandmother’s corpse was
carried off, they flew away quietly. Thus the sparrows expressed their sorrow.

The Portrait of a Lady Talking About the Text

Talk to your partner about the following:
Question 1:
The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which
we come to know this?
Answer:
The author’s grandmother was a deeply religious lady. We come to know this through
the different ways of her behaviour. She visited the temple every morning and read
scriptures. At home she always mumbled inaudible prayer and kept telling the beads of
rosary. She would repeat prayers in a sing-song manner while getting the writer ready
for school. She hoped that he would learn it by heart. She didn’t like English school as
there was no teaching of God and scriptures.
Even while spinning at her spinning-wheel she would recite prayers. Perhaps it was only
once that she forgot to say her prayers. It was on the evening prior to her death when
she felt over excited while celebrating the arrival of her grandson with songs and
beatings of drum. She continued praying and telling beads of her rosary till her last
breath.

Question 2:
Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their
feelings for each other change?
Answer:
During his boyhood, the author was completely dependent on his grandmother. She
was a part of his life. The turning point in their friendship came when they went to city.
She could no longer accompany him to school as he went there by bus. They shared
the same room but she could not help him in his studies. She would ask him what the
teachers had taught. She did not believe in the things that were taught at school. She
was distressed that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures. She felt
offended that music was also being taught. She expressed her disapproval silently.
After this she rarely talked to him. When he went to university, he was given a room of
his own. The common link of friendship was snapped.
However their feelings for each other did not change. They still loved each other deeply.
She went to see the author off at the railway station when he was going abroad for
higher studies. She showed no emotion but kissed his forehead silently. The author
valued this as perhaps the last sign of physical contact between them. When the author
returned after five years, she received him at the station. She clasped him in her arms.
In the evening she celebrated his homecoming by singing songs and beating an old
drum.

Question 3:
Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give
instances that show this.
Answer:
Yes, I agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character. She was a strong
woman with strong beliefs. Although she was not formally educated, she was serious about the
author’s education. She could not adjust herself to the western way of life, Science and English
education. She hated music and disapproved of its teaching in school.
She was a deeply religious lady. Her lips were always moving in a silent prayer. She was
always telling the beads of her rosary. She went to temple daily and read the scriptures. She
was distressed to know that there was no teaching about God and holy books at Khushwant’s
new English school.
She was a kind lady She used to feed dogs in the village. In the city she took to feeding
sparrows. Although old in years and weak in body she had strength of mind. Just before her
death, she refused to talk to the members of the family as she did not want to waste her time.
She wanted to make up for the time last evening when she had not prayed to God. She lay
peacefully in bed saying prayers and telling the beads of her rosary till she breathed her last.

Question 4:
Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss
with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?
Answer:
Yes, I have known my grandfather, who loved me deeply and looked after me. He had served in
the army before he retired as a colonel 20 years ago. When I was a school going kid, he was still
active and smart. He was fond of walking, jogging and playing outdoor games. He inspired us to
get up early in the morning. He believed that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. He used to
give us good physical exercises followed by milk and nourishing food and then asked us to study
for a while before going to school. In the afternoon, he would enquire what we had been taught
at the school. He would help us in our home task and supervise our reading, writing and doing
sums. He was gentle but firm. He laid stress on good habits and character building. He passed
away when I had gone abroad for higher studies. I miss him a lot. A sense of loss fills me whenever
I see his portrait on the wall. But his cheerful looks remind me to take heart and fight the struggle
of life.
Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context

Answer:

 the thought was almost revolting: It was disgusting to think so.

 an expanse of pure white serenity: widespread clear and calm whiteness.
 a turning point: the time when an important change takes place.
 accepted her seclusion with resignation: calmly submitted to her loneliness.
 a veritable bedlam of chirrupings: real confusing noise caused by chirping.
 frivolous rebukes: light rebukes
 the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum: the loose skin of an old drum.


 The Portrait of a Lady Short Answer Type Questions

 Question 1:
How long had the narrator known his grandmother—old and wrinkled? What did
people say? How did the narrator react?
Answer:
The narrator had known his grandmother—old and wrinkled for the last twenty
years. She was terribly old. Perhaps she could not have looked older. People
said that she had once been young and pretty. They said that she even had a
husband. The narrator found it hard to believe.
 Question 2:
How did the narrator’s grandfather appear in the portrait?
Answer:
His grandfather looked very old. He had a long white beard. His clothes were
loose fitting. He wore a big turban. He looked too old to have a wife or children.
He looked at least a hundred years old. He could have only lots and lots of
grandchildren.

Question 3:
Which thought about the grandmother was often revolting and for whom?
Answer:
The narrator’s grandmother was very old and wrinkled. She had stayed at this stage for
the last twenty years. People said that once she was young and pretty. The narrator
couldn’t even imagine her being young. So the thought was revolting to him.
Question 4:
Explain: “As for my grandmother being young and pretty, the thought was almost
revolting”.
Answer:
The narrator’s grandmother was terribly old. She could not appear young and beautiful.
Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles. She was short, fat and slightly bent. The very
idea of her being young and pretty did not appeal to the mind.

Question 5:
The narrator’s grandmother ‘could never have been pretty, but she was always
beautiful’. Explain the importance of the statement.
Answer:
She was terribly old to appear pretty. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles. She was
short, fat and slightly bent. She didn’t create any physical appeal or attraction. However,
in her spotless white dress and grey hair she was a picture of serenity, peace, sobriety
and beauty.

Question 6:
Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother was once young and
pretty?
Answer:
She was quite an old lady. She had been old and wrinkled for more than two decades. It
is said that once she had been young and pretty. But it is hard to believe so.

Question 7:
The narrator’s grandmother looked like the ‘winter landscape in the mountains’.
Comment.
Answer:
The grandmother was always dressed in spotless white. She had silvery hair. Her white
locks spread untidily over her pale and wrinkled face. She looked like an expanse of
pure white serenity. The stretch of snow over the mountains looks equally white and
peaceful. So her silvery locks and white dress made her look like the winter landscape
in the mountains.

Question 8:
How did the narrator and his grandmother become good friends?
Answer:
During his childhood, the narrator stayed with his grandmother in the village. She was
his constant companion. She looked after him. She used to wake him up. She got him
ready for school in the morning. She would give him breakfast. She went to school with
him.

Question 9:
Why could the grandmother not walk straight? How would she move about the house?
Answer:
The grandmother was short and fat. She was also slightly bent. She put one hand on her waist to
support the stoop. She could not walk straight. She walked like a lame person. She limped or
hobbled about while moving.

Question 10:
Describe how the grandmother spent her time while the narrator sat inside the village school.
Answer:
The grandmother went to the school with the narrator. The school was attached to the temple.
The narrator would learn alphabet and morning prayer at school. The grandmother would sit
inside the temple. There she would read holy books. Thus she spent her time before they came
back together.

Question 11:
Grandmother has been portrayed as a very religious lady. What details in the story create this
impression?
Answer:
She visited the temple every morning and read scriptures. At home she always mumbled
inaudible prayer and kept telling the beads of rosary. She would repeat prayers in a sing-song
manner while getting the narrator ready for school. All these details create the impression that
she was a religious lady.

Question 12:
The grandmother had a divine beauty. How does the author bring this out?
Answer:
The grandmother’s silvery locks scattered untidily over her pale and wrinkled face. This made
her look like an expanse of pure white serenity. She had a divine beauty. She looked like the
winter landscape in the mountains.

Question 13:
What proofs do you find of the friendship between grandmother and grandson in this story?
Answer:
The grandmother was closely attached to the narrator in his childhood. She woke him, got him
ready and took him to school. She prepared his wooden slate. She waited in the temple while he
studied in school. They returned home together.

Question 14:
The grandmother was a kind-hearted woman. Give examples in support of your answer.
Answer:
Grandmother had a very kind heart. She loved her grandson. She loved even birds and animals.
In the village, she fed the street dogs. In the city, she would feed the sparrows.

Question 15:
“That was a turning point in our friendship.” What was the turning point?
Answer:
The turning point in their friendship came when they shifted to the city. Now the narrator went to
an English school in a bus. Grandmother could no longer accompany him to school. Although
they shared the same room, they saw less of each other.

Question 16:
Draw a comparison between village school education and city school education.
Answer:
Elementary education was given in village school. The pupils were taught alphabet and
multiplication tables. It was quite simple—confined to the three R’s—reading, writing and
arithmetic. In the city school, English, Science and Music were taught. Unlike village school
there was no teaching about God and scriptures.

Question 17:
How did grandmother react to the narrator’s receiving education in English school?
Answer:
She did not believe in the things they taught at the English school. She hated
Western Science and learning. She was pained to know that there was no teaching of God and
the scriptures there.

Question 18:
What led to the gradual distancing of the narrator from his grandmother in the city? Give three
reasons.
Answer:
As the years rolled by, the narrator grew older. His dependence on grandmother became lesser.
He started going to an English school in a motor bus. She could not go with him. Moreover she
couldn’t help him in teaching English and Science. She hated English school. There was no
teaching about God and scriptures there. All these things distanced the narrator from his
grandmother.

Question 19:
Why was the narrator’s grandmother so much allergic to music? Why was the grandmother
disturbed when she came to know that music lessons were being given at school?
Answer:
She considered that music had lewd associations. It was not meant for decent people and
gentlefolk. It was actually the monopoly of prostitutes and beggars.

Question 20:
When was the common link of friendship between the narrator and his grandmother finally
snapped?
Answer:
The narrator went to the university. Now he was given a room of his own. This separated the
narrator from his grandmother. The common link of their friendship was thus finally broken.
Question 21:
How did the grandmother spend her time when the narrator went up to university?
Answer:
She now lived alone in her room. She accepted her loneliness quietly. She was now always busy
with her spinning wheel. She sat at her spinning-wheel reciting prayers. She hardly talked to
anyone. In the afternoon, she would feed the sparrows. This was her only pastime.

Question 22:
Why did the grandmother take to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of their city house?
Answer:
In the village, she used to throw ‘chapattis’ to the street dogs. But there were no dogs in the
streets of the city. So, she took to feeding the sparrows in the courtyard of their city house.

Question 23:
Describe in brief how grandmother spent half-an-hour with the sparrows. How did she feel then?
Answer:
The grandmother usually fed the sparrows in the afternoon. She sat in the verandah. She broke
bread into little bits. Hundreds of sparrows would gather there. They would chirrup noisily.
Some perched on her legs and shoulders. Some sat even on her head. She enjoyed feeding them.
She never pushed them away. It was her happiest half an hour.

Question 24:
What was the happiest moment of the day for the grandmother?
Answer:
The happiest half-hour of her day used to be the time when grandmother fed the sparrows. She
would sit in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits. The sparrows would collect around
her. They chirped noisily. Some perched on her legs and shoulders. Some even sat on her head.
She relished this game. She never shooed them away.

Question 25:
How did the grandmother see the narrator off at the railway station?
Answer:
She was not at all sentimental. She kept silent and didn’t show her emotions. Her lips moved in
prayer and her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. She only kissed the narrator’s
forehead. He cherished the moist imprint as perhaps the last sign-of physical contact between
them.

Question 26:
What was the “last sign” of physical contact between the author and the grandmother? Why did
the author think that to be the last physical contact?
Answer:
The grandmother, kissed Khushwant Singh on his forehead. The author thought that this was
perhaps the last sign of physical contact between them. He was going away for five years. She
was extremely old and at her age one could never tell whether she would be alive for long.
Question 27:
Why didn’t the grandmother pray in the evening on the day narrator came back home?
Answer:
There was a strange change in her behaviour. She was over-excited. She celebrated the arrival of
her grandson. She collected all the women of the neighburhood. For hours she continued singing
and beating the drum. She had to be persuaded to stop to avoid overstraining. Perhaps it was the
first time that she didn’t pray.

Question 28:
How did the grandmother die?
Answer:
The grandmother realised that her end was near. She continued praying. Her fingers were busy in
telling the beads of her rosary. She lay peacefully in bed. She did not talk to anyone. After
sometime, her lips stopped moving. The rosary fell down from her fingers. She died peacefully.

Question 29:
How did the sparrows show that they had not come for the bread?

OR

How did the sparrows pay their last homage to the grandmother?
Answer:
The grandmother lay dead. Thousands of sparrows came there. They did not chirrup. They paid
their last homage to the old lady silently. She used to feed them regularly. The narrator’s mother
threw some crumbs of bread to them. They took no notice of them. As soon as the grandmother’s
corpse was carried off, they flew away quietly.

Question 30:
Everybody including the sparrows mourned grandmother’s death. Elaborate.
Answer:
The old grandmother died peacefully. The members of the author’s family mourned her death.
Thousands of sparrows came and sat silently in the courtyard and the verandah where
grandmother lay dead and wrapped in a red shroud. They took no notice of the bread crumbs
thrown to them. They flew away quietly the moment grandmother’s corpse was carried off.

The Portrait of a Lady Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Describe the friendship ‘between Khushwant Singh and his grandmother.
Answer:
Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was closely involved in bringing him up when the author lived
with her in the village during his early life. She used to wake him up early in the morning. While
bathing and dressing him, she sang her prayers. She hoped that the young boy would learn it by
heart. She then gave him breakfast—a stale chapatti with butter and sugar. Then they would go
together to the temple school. While the author learnt his lesson, the grandmother would read
holy books. They returned home together.
A turning point came in their friendship when his parents called them to city. Although they
shared a room, she could not help him much. She hated music, Science and Western education.
The common link of their friendship was gradually snapped.

Question 2:
What image of the grandmother emerges from ‘The Portrait of a Lady’?
Answer:
Khushwant Singh’s grandmother has been portrayed as a very old lady. She was short statured,
fat and slightly bent. Her face was wrinkled and she was always dressed in spotless white
clothes. She was a deeply religious lady. Her lips were always moving in a silent prayer. She was
always telling the beads of her rosary. She went to the temple and read the scriptures.
The grandmother was a kind lady. She used to feed dogs in the village. In the city she took to
feeding the sparrows. She had great affection for her grandson. She looked after him in the
village. She could not adjust herself to the Western way of life, Science and English education.
She hated music and was distressed to know that there was no teaching about God and holy
books at Khushwant’s new English school. On the whole, she was a nice, kind-hearted and
religious lady.

Question 3:
Write a character sketch of the author’s grandmother by using following words: affectionate,
caring, kind and benevolent, religious, a strong woman.
Answer:
Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was a very old lady. She was short, fat and slightly bent. Her
face was wrinkled. She had white hair. She was very affectionate. She was closely involved in
bringing up the author. The two lived in the village. She was a caring grandmother. She would
wake him early in the morning and get him ready for school. She served him breakfast and took
him to school. She waited for him in the temple. She prayed while he studied. She returned with
him.
She was kind and benevolent. She used to feed dogs in the village. In the city she took to feeding
the sparrows. She was a deeply religious lady. Her lips were always moving in a silent prayer.
She was always telling the beads of her rosary. She went to the temple and read the scriptures.
She was a strong woman with strong beliefs. Although she was not formally educated, she was
serious about the author’s education. She could not adjust herself to the western way of life,
Science and English education. She hated music. She was distressed to know that there was no
teaching about God and holy books at Khushwant’s new English school. On the whole, she was a
nice, affectionate, kind hearted and religious lady.

Question 4:
The grandmother herself was not formally educated but was serious about the author’s education.
How does the text support this?
Answer:
The grandmother was quite serious about the author’s education. She woke him up in the
morning and got him ready for school. She washed his wooden slate. She plastered it with yellow
chalk. She tied his earthen ink-pot and reed pen into a bundle. She took him to school. He
studied in school. She waited for him in the temple reading scriptures.
In the city, the author went to an English school in a motor bus. When he came back she would
ask him what the teacher had taught him. She could not help him with his lessons. She did not
believe in the things taught at the English school. She was distressed to learn that her grandson
was being taught music. She considered it unfit for gentle folk.

Question 5:
Gradually the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their friendship was broken.
Was the distancing in the relationship deliberate or due to demand of the situation?
Answer:
During his boyhood, grandmother was a part of his life. He was completely dependent on her.
The turning point in their friendship came when they went to city. Now, he went to school by
bus. She no longer accompanied him. As the years rolled by they saw less of each other. For
sometime she continued to wake him up and got him ready for school. When he came back she
would ask him what the teachers had taught. She did not believe in the things that were taught at
school. She was
distressed that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures. She felt offended that music
was also being taught. She expressed her disapproval silently.
After this she rarely talked to him. When he went up to university, he was given a room of his
own. The common link of friendship was snapped. Now she spent most of her time at the
spinning wheel. Thus we find that the distancing in the relationship was due to demand of
situation. The graph of life never follows a straight line.

Question 6:
The word ‘portrait’ generally means a painting, a drawing or a photograph but here it implies a
representation or impression of someone in language. Write a pen picture of your grandparents
describing the qualities you admire and appreciate most.
Answer:
I am lucky that my grandparents are still alive. They live in our native village. My grandfather is
about 70. My grandmother is about 65. My grandfather served in the army before he retired as a
colonel 20 years ago. He is still active and smart. He has strong will power and manliness in the
way he carries himself. He is fond of walking and jogging. He looks after the family farm and
briefs the workers every morning. In the evening he asks each of them to report the progress and
work done. He believes in trusting people. Even then he has some surprise checks. My
grandmother is a bit fat and small. She is slow moving. She is deeply religious. She visits the
temple every morning. She supervises the household work and activities. She helps the poor and
the needy. She is kind, generous and hospitable. My grandparents visit us in the city on
important days such as birthdays or marriage anniversaries etc. We spend a part of our holidays
with them. Their company is a blessing.

Question 7:
Imagine that you are Khushwant Singh. Record the changes that came in your relationship with
your grandmother as you grew up from kid to university student.
Answer:
During my boyhood days I lived with my grandmother in the village. She used to wake me up in
the morning and prepared me for school. She accompanied me to school. A turning point came in
our friendship when my parents sent for us in the city. Now I went to an English school in the
motor bus. I was taught English, Science and music. She could not help me in my studies. She
hated Science, music and Western education. We still shared the same room, but talked less and
less. When I joined the university, I was given a separate room and our common link of
closeness was finally snapped.

A Photograph
A. Infer the meanings of the following words from the context:
paddling, transient

Answer:
‘Paddling’ means ‘wading’ or ‘rowing’ a boat.
‘Transient’ means temporary.
Dictionary meanings:
‘Paddling’ means ‘walking or standing with barefeet in shallow water’.
‘Went paddling’ means ‘swam with short movements of hands or feet up and down’.
‘Transient’ means ‘staying in a place for only short time’.

Question 1:
What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?
Answer:
The word cardboard denotes the photograph pasted on a hard thick paper. This word
has been used to refer to a practice in the past when photographs were pasted on
cardboard and framed with glass front to preserve them.

Question 2:
What has the camera captured?
Answer:
The camera has captured the three girls—the poet’s mother and her two cousins, Betty
and Dolly, in their swimming dresses with the poet’s mother in the middle and the two
cousins on either side holding her hands and walking v feet in sea
water.

Question 3:
What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
Answer:
The sea has not changed over the years. Its waves are as fresh, shining and tireless
as they were years ago. The changelessness of sea reminds us of the changes in human face
with advancing age.
Question 4:
The poetess’s mother laughed at the snapshot? What did this laugh indicate?
Answer:
This laugh’ indicated her joy at remembering an incident connected with her past
life, when she was quite young and free from the tensions and worries of life.

Question 5:
What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of loss”.
Answer:
The sea holiday and the laughter of the poet’s mother are incidents of the past.
There is a sense of loss associated with them. Both are amusing yet disappointing as
the state of feeling comfortable or relaxed is unnatural or forced one. This sense of loss
is quite painful to bear.

Question 6:
What does ‘this circumstance’ refer to?
Answer:
This circumstance refers to the death of the poet’s mother.

Question 7:
The three stanzas depict three different phases. Name them.
Answer:

1. The girlhood of the poet’s mother—the period before the birth of the poet.
2. Her middle age—the period during the childhood of the poet
3. Period after the death of the poet’s mother.

A Photograph Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Which incident has been captured in the snapshot?
Answer:
The incident depicts three girls who had gone for a swim in the sea and were
standing still for a short time smiling at the camera. This group photo captures
their joy, buoyant spirits and freedom of girlhood.

Question 2:
What do you learn about the poetess’s mother from the photograph?
Answer:
The poetess’s mother was a big girl even at the age of twelve. She had a sweet
face and enjoyed swimming as well as wading in sea-water with her cousins.
Years later she laughed at the clothes they had put on for the sea holiday.
 Question 3:
How did the three girls face the camera?
Answer:
They removed hair from their face and stood smiling in the shallow water near
the beach. Betty and Dolly stood on either side of the poetess’s mother, holding
one of her hands.
Question 4:
What do you think, made the poetess’s mother laugh?
Answer:
The dress and behaviour of her cousins Betty and Dolly made the poetess’s
mother laugh. It is evident that they had put on some quaint dress, which amused
her.
Question 5:
The poetess’s mother laughs at her past. How does the poet react to her past?
Answer:
The sea holiday was a past experience for the poetess’s mother. A glimpse of
the photograph perhaps revived some feelings of shared joy and she laughed.
For the poet, her laughter is an incident of the past. It is amusing in ironic
manner. The sense of loss overcomes the pleasure.
Question 6:
Why, do you think, does the poetess say nothing about her mother’s death?
Answer:
The poet has no words to express her reaction to this solemn and painful incident. Death
silences everyone. The extensive quietness and prevailing gloom silences her.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What impression do you form of the poetess and the poetess’s mother after reading the
poem A Photograph’?
Answer:
The poem presents the poet as a sensitive person who is quite affectionate towards her
mother and is deeply attached to her. She loves ‘her ‘sweet’ face and notes the
changes in it as she advances in age. She remembers all the incidents connected with
her life including her laughter on looking at the photograph. She finds it hard to bear her
death. The pangs of separation stun her to speechlessness.
The poetess’s mother appears as a physically well formed person with sweet face and
beautiful smile. She has a friendly temperament and free mixing nature. She has great
affection (or her two girl cousins and goes with them for a sea-holiday where they put on
quaint dresses. She poses with them smilingly for a snap. Her laughter on seeing the
dresses in the snap shows her fine temperament and good humour.

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Questions from

Textbook Solved
A. Reading With Insight

Question 1:
You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting
action. Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
Answer:
The story ‘The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’ is a tale told from the viewpoint of
a nine-year old boy. At that age, imagination is rich and one can romanticise even
insignificant actions. To such a person the world is full of excellence and glory and life is
delightful and a mysterious dream. For the young poor boy, a ride on a beautiful white
horse is a dream fulfilled. He had been always longing to ride and his cherished dream
is realised when his cousin Mourad offers him a chance to ride on horseback—first with
him and then alone. Riding the stolen horse and hiding it safely are great feats of
adventure for the two boys.

Though the story line is thin, we eagerly follow the course of action taken by the boys till
they return the horse to its rightful owner. The story provides us a peep into child
psychology. For boys who are crazy about horses, stealing a horse for a ride is not
stealing. Though they enjoy the thrill of riding, they are conscious of their family pride.
The Garoghlanian family is well-known for honesty and trust. They would neither steal
nor take advantage of anybody in the world. Another point of interest is characterization.
The delineation of the common traits of uncle Khosrove and cousin Mourad is superb.
The story also contains many purple passages full of pictorial description. All these
heighten its appeal to the reader.

Question 2:
Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were
afraid?
Answer:
The story gives no indication that the boys were afraid of anyone or anything. Hence the return
of the horse was not directed by fear. Secondly, they were not at all conscience-stricken. They
did not feel any pangs of repentance or remorse at their action of stealing a horse solely for the
purpose of riding it. The narrator makes it amply clear when he asserts that stealing a horse for
a ride was not the same thing as stealing something else, such as money. For him, it wasn’t
stealing at all as he and Mourad were so crazy about horses. In his opinion, it would become
stealing only when they offer

The last phrase gives a clue to their mental make up. Mourad had the horse for over a month
when farmer John Byro visited the narrator’s house. They retained it for two weeks more.
Mourad outrightly rejected the narrator’s suggestion of keeping the horse any longer. It was his
family pride that would not let him steal. He decided that the horse must go back to its true
owner. The meeting with John Byro proved conclusive. He praised their family for its honesty.
He trusted the boys as he knew their parents. Hence in order to uphold the family tradition and
reputation, the boys returned the horse to its rightful owner.ed to sell the horse, which he knew
they would never do.
Question 3:
“One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of
every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious
dream……..”. The story begins in a mood of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident
from your childhood that might make an interesting story?
Answer:
I had just completed my primary education when I visited my uncle. He was a forest
ranger in Dehradun. In those days there was a thick forest in the vicinity of the city and
all sorts of wild animals prowled there. Uncle had advised us not to enter the deep
forest, but forbidden fruit is sweet; My cousin Varun, a couple of his friends and I
decided to explore the southern range. We had the kits of scouts and were fully
prepared.

In our boyish enthusiasm, we went deep into the jungle and reached a gorge. We were
amazed to see a lioness with her cubs. One of us, perhaps, Mohit clicked his camera.
The flashlight scared the lioness and she roared and leaped. Fortunately there was a
big ditch and she fell into it. Meanwhile, we lit our torches, collected dry leaves and
twigs and set them on fire. Momentarily, we got respite from our attackers. Then we
threw some green leaves on fire to give smoke signal. A patrol party noticed it and
rescued us. I shudder whenever I think of this adventure when we were close to death.

Question 4:
The story revolves around characters who belong to tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram
are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas
and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their
names, traits, geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.
Answer:

The Garoghlanian Tribes

The Garoghlanian family was an Armenian tribe. Eleven centuries ago it was the
wealthiest family in that part of the world. However, now every branch of the
Garoghlanian tribe was living in the most amazing and comical poverty in the world.
These poor people had no money. Nobody could understand where they ever got
money enough to keep them with food in their bellies. The Garoghlanian tribes were
famous for their honesty.

It had been the hallmark of the tribe for many centuries. They were proud of their family.
Honesty came next and then they believed in right and wrong. None of them would take
advantage of anybody in the world. No member of the Garoghlanian family could be a
thief. The elders felt pained to remember that they had lost their homeland. These
people shifted their residence from one place to the other. The narrator says, “That year
we lived at the edge of the town, on Walnut Avenue.” They loved countryside having
vineyards, orchards, olives and Walnuts. The names of the people are semi- Arabic:
Mourad, Aram, Khosrove etc.

The Summer Of The Beautiful White Horse

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
“I couldn’t believe what I saw,” says the narrator. What was so unbelievable? Why?
Answer:
The narrator saw his cousin Mourad sitting on a beautiful white horse. It was
unbelievable, for they belonged to poor families and buying such a beautiful horse was
beyond their means.

Question 2:
What two character-traits of Mourad are hinted at by the narrator in the initial part of the
story?
Answer:
Mourad was considered crazy by everybody who knew him except the narrator. He was
quite crazy about horses. Secondly, he enjoyed being alive more than anybody else.

Question 3:
“This was the part that wouldn’t permit me to believe what I saw.” What ‘part’ does the
narrator hint at?
Answer:
The narrator refers to their poverty. They had no money. They lived in extreme poverty
and it was difficult to understand how they got food to satisfy their hunger. He frankly
admits that every branch of the Garoghlanian family was living in the most amazing and
comical poverty in the world.

Question 4:
What traits of the Garoghlanian family are highlighted in this story?
Answer:
The Garoghlanian family though now poor, were famous for their honesty even when
they were wealthy. They were proud of their family first, honest next and after that they
believed in right and wrong. None of them would take advantage of anybody in the
world. They would not steal. No member of the Garoghlanian family could be a thief.

Question 5:
How did the narrator react on seeing the horse and Mourad?
Answer:
The horse was magnificent to look at, gave out a lovely smell and its breathing was
quite exciting. Yet he couldn’t believe that the horse had anything to do with Mourad,
because he couldn’t have bought it.
Question 6:
What conflicting thoughts passed through the narrator’s mind on seeing Mourad on a
beautiful white horse early one morning?
Answer:
The narrator was surprised. He knew that his cousin Mourad couldn’t have bought the
horse. Since he couldn’t have bought it, he must have stolen it. However, family pride
came in the way. He refused to believe that he had stolen it.

Question 7:
What feelings did the sight of cousin Mourad and the horse arouse in the narrator?
Answer:
The narrator stared first at his cousin and then at the horse. There was a pious stillness
and humour in each of them. He was delighted as well as frightened.

Question 8:
“It was true, then. He had stolen the horse. There was no question about it. He had
come to invite me to ride or not, as I chose.” How did the narrator convince himself to
enjoy a horseride with cousin Mourad?
Answer:
It seemed to him that stealing a horse for a ride was not the same thing as stealing
something else, such as money. Since he and Mourad were quite crazy about horses, it
wasn’t stealing. He convinced himself with the thought that it would become stealing
only when they offered to sell it.

Question 9:
Give examples to show why cousin Mourad was considered one of the craziest
members of the narrator’s family?
Answer:
Cousin Mourad had a crazy streak. He was quite crazy about horses. He kept the stolen
white horse for about six weeks, rode it, loved it, fed it well and hid it in a deserted yard.
When he sang in the open countryside, it seemed as if he were roaring.

Question 10:
Why does the narrator mention uncle Khosrove? Which characteristic features of the
man are highlighted?
Answer:
Cousin Mourad seemed to inherit the crazy streak of uncle Khosrove. He was a big man
with a powerful head of black hair and very large moustache. He was quite furious in
temper, very irritable and impatient. He would stop anyone from taking by roaring his
pet phrase, “It is no harm; pay no attention to it”.

Question 11:
Give an example to illustrate how uncle Khosrove’s impatience sometimes worked to
his own disadvantage?
Answer:
Once uncle Khosrove was getting his moustache trimmed in a barber’s shop. Suddenly
their house was on fire. His own son Arak ran eight blocks to the barber’s shop to inform
him. Khosrove got impatient and roared at his son. When the barber reminded him that
his house was on fire, Khosrove roared at him and stopped him from talking.

Question 12:
“The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning
capricious and vagrant.” Elucidate.
Answer:
The Garoghlanian family had a crazy streak. Mourad was considered the natural
descendant of uncle Khosrove as far as the crazy streak was concerned. Mourad’s
father, Zorab was practical and nothing else. But Mourad was his son only in flesh; in
spirit, he was similar to uncle Khosrove.

Question 13:
Give a brief account of Mourad’s joy ride.
Answer:
Mourad kicked his heels into the horse and shouted, “Vazire run!” The horse stood on
its hind legs, snorted, and ran forward at full speed. Mourad raced the horse across a
field of dry grass to an irrigation ditch. He crossed the ditch on the horse. When he
returned five minutes later he was dripping wet.

Question 14:
How did Aram, the narrator, fare in his solo ride?
Answer:
Aram leaped to the back of the horse, but it did not move. Then he kicked into the
muscles of the horse. It reared and snorted. Then it began to run. Aram did not know
how to ride. The horse ran down the road to a vineyard. It leaped over seven vines,
threw the rider and ran away.

Question 15:
“We’ll either take him back or hide him until tomorrow morning”. Which course of action
did the speaker take and why?
Answer:
Mourad took the latter option. He hid the horse in the bam of a deserted vineyard which
at one time had been the pride of farmer named Fetvajian. There were some oats and
dry alfalfa in the bam. So Mourad did not seem worried about the horse.

Question 16:
“I have an understanding with a horse.”
“Horses understand me.”
“I have a way with a horse. ”
How do you think, had Mourad developed an understanding with the horse and what
was the result?
Answer:
Mourad had been quite tender and affectionate towards the horse. He would put his
arms around it, press his nose into the horse’s nose and pat it. It was not easy to tame
someone else’s horse and get it to behave nicely. At first, it wanted to run wild.
Gradually, Mourad was able to control the horse and do what he wanted. Even John
Byro, the rightful owner, admitted that the horse had become better-tempered and
stronger than ever.

Question 17:
Contrast the two visitors to narrator’s house who visited them one afternoon.
Answer:
Uncle Khosrove was irritable, impatient and furious in temper. He stopped anyone from
talking by roaring: “It’s no harm; pay no attention to it”. Farmer John Byro was a lonely
Assyrian. He was sad at the loss of his horse and the uselessness of his surrey without
a horse.

Question 18:
How did uncle Khosrove react to John Byro’s complaint about the steal of his horse?
Answer:
John Byro was sad that his white horse had been stolen last month and it was missing
even then. Instead of showing any sympathy, uncle Khosrove became very irritated and
shouted: “It’s no harm. What is the loss of a horse?… What is this crying over a horse?”

Question 19:
What arguments did farmer John Byro advance to prove the usefulness of a horse to a
country dweller?
Answer:
First, his surrey was no good without a horse. Second, he had to walk ten miles to get
there and his left leg pained him. Thirdly, that horse had cost him sixty dollars. A city
dweller like Khosrove may not realise the importance of a horse.

Question 20:
Why did farmer John Byro stalk out of the house, slamming the screen door?
Answer:
Farmer John Byro visited the narrator’s house. He was homesick, sad and lonely. His
horse had been stolen for over a month. Instead of showing any sympathy or concern
for his loss, uncle Khosrove repeated his catchword: “It’s no harm. Pay no attention to
it”. When John Byro talked about the cost of horse, uncle Khosrove commented: “I spit
on money.” This was too much for John Byro to bear and so he left the house in disgust.

Question 21:
How did Mourad help the wounded Robin to fly? What does this incident indicate?
Answer: The narrator noticed Mourad trying to cure the hint wing of a young robin
which could not fly. He was talking to the bird. After sometime, he threw the bird into the
air. The bird tried hard and almost fell twice. However, at last it flew away, high and
straight. This incident shows that in spite of having a crazy streak, Mourad was kind at
heart and gentle towards God’s creatures.

Question 22:
What request did the narrator make to his cousin Mourad about the horse? How did he
react to it? What does this reveal?
Answer:
The narrator requested his cousin Mourad not to return the horse to farmer John Byro
till he learnt to ride. Mourad observed that it might take him a year. The narrator
suggested to keep the horse for a year. Mourad shouted that he was inciting him to
steal. He declared that the horse must go back to its true owner. This shows his honesty
and sense of family pride.

Question 23:
What did farmer John Byro observe after studying the horse the two boys had with
them?
Answer:
The farmer studied the horse eagerly and asked its name. Mourad said that they called
it “My Heart’. John Byro appreciated it as a lovely name for a lovely horse. He was
ready to swear that it was the horse that was stolen hum him many weeks ago.

Question 24:
“A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his heart.” In what context was this
observation made and by whom?
Answer:
This observation was made by farmer John Byro after looking into the mouth of the
horse. It matched his horse tooth for tooth. He would have claimed it as his own horse if
he had not known their parents or the fame of their family for honesty. The resemblance
was so striking that he called it the twin of his horse.

Question 25:
What do you think, induced the boys to return the horse to its owner?
Answer:
The boys were impressed by John Byro’s attitude towards their parents and family. He
knew their parents very well and so believed whatever the boys said. Secondly, the
fame of their family for honesty was well-known to him. The boys returned the horse to
him for the sake of family pride and dignity.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Narrate the story ‘The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’ in your own words.
Answer:
One summer morning narrator’s cousin Mourad came to his house at four in the
morning and woke him up by tapping on the window of his room. The narrator was
surprised to see Mourad sitting on a beautiful white horse. Mourad asked him to be
quick if he wanted to ride. The narrator, Aram, longed to ride and jumped down to the
yard from the window and leaped up onto the horse behind his cousin Mourad.

Since these Armenian families were quite poor, Aram concluded that Mourad must have
stolen the horse. They rode and Mourad sang. Then Mourad had a joy ride alone. It
seamed he had a way with a horse, for when Aram tried to ride alone, the horse threw
him off and ran away. Since it was broad daylight, Mourad hid the horse in the ham of a
deserted vineyard. That afternoon, farmer John Byro visited the narrator’s house and
related his plight. His white horse had been missing for over a month.

Uncle Khosrove silenced him with his roaring commands. Aram reported everything to
Mourad and requested him to keep the horse till he learnt to ride. Mourad did not agree.
A chance meeting with farmer John Byro after a fortnight firmed up his decision. John
Byro had believed the boys since he knew their fathers and was fully aware of the fame
of their family for honesty. Mourad returned the horse to its owner then next morning.

Question 2:
Relate some of the humorous incidents in the story. Which incident do you find the most
amusing and why?
Answer:
The incidents related to uncle Khosrove are quite amusing. The repetition of his pet
catchword: “It is no harm; pay no attention to it” causes humour whenever it is used in
an incongruous context. For example, his own son Arak ran eight blocks to the barber
shop where Khosrove was having his moustache trimmed to tell him that their house
was on fire. This was a serious matter. Instead of leaving the place, he roared: “It is no
harm; pay no attention to it.”

When the barber explained that his son was saying that his house was on fire,
Khosrove silenced him by roaring: “It is no harm”. At the end of the story, uncle
Khosrove again became irritated and shouted at farmer John Byro to be quiet. He said,
“Your horse has been returned. Pay no attention to it.” The incongruity is obvious. The
most amusing incident is the conversation between farmer John Byro and uncle
Khosrove when the farmer sighed sadly and bewailed the stealth of his horse.

Uncle Khosrove remarked, “It is no harm. What is the loss of a horse? What is this
crying over a horse?” John Byro tried to explain that his surrey was useless without a
horse. Pat came Khosrove’s catchward “Pay no attention to it.” This phrase is repeated
when the farmer complained that his left leg hurt him. When John Byro said that the
horse had cost him sixty dollars, Khosrove remarked, “I spit on money.” The incident
ends as John Byro walked out angrily slamming the screen door.
Question 3:
What impression do you form of cousin Mourad?
Answer:
Mourad is a young boy of thirteen. He belongs to the Garoghlanian family of Armenia.
Their whole tribe was poverty stricken. In spite of abject poverty, their family was
famous for honesty. Mourad was quite adventurous and had a crazy streak in him. He
enjoyed being alive more than anybody else. Mourad loved horse riding. He had a way
with a horse. He had tamed the horse by his affectionate behaviour and now the horse
was no longer wild.

It obeyed Mourad faithfully. His love for the horse is evident in the last scene. While
parting, he put his arms around the horse, pressed his nose into the horse’s nose and
patted it. He also had a way with dogs. The dogs of John Byro followed them around
without making a sound. He was kind. He treated a young robin which had hurt its wing.
He was worldly-wise and knew how to talk to farmers. Though he loved horse-riding he
was averse of keeping the horse for a long time. He is proud of his family which is well
known for their honesty and trust. In short, he is a lovable chap.

Question 4:
Comment on the role of Aram, the narrator, in the story.
Answer:
Aram plays an important role in the story. Besides being the narrator, he is also a
commentator. He not only narrates the various adventures, incidents and actions, but
also provides useful information regarding the main characters and their behaviour. In
fact, he is the fulcrum on which the whole story rests. He gives a graphic description of
the Garoghlanian tribe, its members, their traits and economic features.

Mom-ad’s father Zorab is described as a practical person, whereas Mourad and uncle
Khosrove represent the crazy streak in the tribe. Abject poverty of the family does not
diminish his pride in his family which is famous for honesty. He says, “No member of the
Garoghlanian family could be a thief.” He makes a fine distinction between stealing a
horse for a ride and stealing a horse to sell it off. He gives a fine description of the horse
ride and country side with its vineyards, orchards, irrigation ditches and country roads.

Question 5:
Compare and contrast uncle Khosrove and cousin Mourad.
Answer:
Uncle Khosrove and cousin Mourad have one very important point in common— their
craziness. Mourad was considered the natural descendant of uncle Khosrove in this
respect. The second similarity is their dominating nature. Both use pet words and
phrases and roar aloud to quieten the hearer. While uncle Khosrove says, “It is no
harm; pay no attention to it,” Mourad boasts, “I have a way with horses/dogs/farmers.”
Khosrove shouts at his son Arak, the barber and farmer John Byro. The narrator is a
patient listener to Mourad’s assertions. The difference lies in their age groups and
physical build up. Uncle Khosrove, a middle aged person is an enormous man with a
powerful head of black hair and very large moustache. Mourad is an athletic young chap
of thirteen. Khosrove is irritable, impatient and furious in temper. Mourad is reasonable
in conversation.

NOTE-MAKING AND SUMMARISING,

Read the following passage carefully:

Passage 1:

1. I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall experiencing

some of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also remember, even more
vividly, moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I was truly -terrified of the
dark and getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some extremely
uncomfortable moments.
2. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room at
night that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street light or
passing car lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an
unknown beast. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there was
no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor would sound a hundred times louder than in
the daylight and my imagination would take over, creating burglars and monsters.
Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart would pound and I would lie
very still so that ‘the enemy’ wouldn’t discover me.
3. Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way
home from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my home—
that was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along
the curve, I was terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken to some
unfamiliar neighbourhood. I would scan the bus for the faces of my friends, make
sure that the bus driver was the same one that had been there in the morning, and
even then ask the others over and over again to be sure I was in the right bus. On
school or family trips to an amusement park or a museum, I wouldn’t let the
leaders out of my sight. And of course, I was never very adventurous when it
came to taking walks or hikes because I would go only where I was sure I would
never get lost.
4. Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or
accepted by others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly
about my looks, thinking people wouldn’t like me because I was too fat or wore
braces. I tried to wear ‘the right clothes’ and had intense arguments with my
mother over the importance of wearing flats instead of saddled shoes to school.
Being popular was very important to me then and the fear of not being liked was a
powerful one.
 5. One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to
recognise and overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to
take on a life of its own, that others can help me when I am lost and that
friendliness and sincerity will encourage people to like me. Understanding the
things that scared us as children helps to cope with our lives as adults.

Questions:
1. On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using headings and
subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (minimum four) wherever necessary.
Supply a suitable TITLE to it. (5 Marks)
2. Write a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made. (3
marks)

Answers:
NOTES:
1. TITLE: Memories of Childhood

1. Remembering childhood moments

1. happy and carefree
2. terrified of the dark and getting lost
2. Childhood fears
1. Feeling helpless in dark
(a) Moving curtains
(b) Creaking sounds
(c) Creating burglars and monsters
2. Fear of getting lost (on the way home from school)
(a) Scanning of school buses—friendly faces, same bus driver
(b) Not letting leaders out of sight
(c) Taken to some unfamiliar neighbourhood
(d) Surety of not being lost
3. Fear of disliking
(a) Quite shy
(b) worried about looks
(c) wear the right clothes
(d) Imp. of popularity
3. Overcoming childhood fears
1. Undg. evolution process
2. Recognising and overcoming fears
3. Accepting help from others
4. Unds. things that scared
2. SUMMARY
My childhood moment was the happiest and carefree moment. Darkness scared me
with its shadows, moving of curtains, and creaking sounds. It made me quite helpless
and I used to lie still with a pounding heart. I had the fear of getting lost while on the way
from home to school. Before getting into the school bus, I scanned it for friendly faces. I
had the fear of being disliked by others. During the course of evolution from a child to an
adult, I realized that darkness does not have to rule my life and learnt to cope with life
as an adult.