Class :XII

Subject:English

Lost Spring
Author : Anees Jung (born 1964) is an Indian author, journalist and columnist for
newspapers in India and abroad, whose most known work, Unveiling India (1987)
was a chronicle of the lives of women in India, noted especially for the depiction
of Muslim women behind the purdah.
Jung published Unveiling India in 1987. It is a travel diary focusing on interviews
with women. She has written several subsequent books on the same, talking to
women about their everyday lives, including Night of the New Moon: Encounters
with Muslim women in India (1993), Seven Sisters (1994). Breaking the Silence
(1997) is based on conversations on women's lives from around the world.

Setting:
Part 1- Slums of Delhi (Migrated from Bangladesh) Involved in rag picking
Part 2- Firozabad ( UP) Glass Blowing Industry ( Bangle making)Setti
Theme :
● Plight of street children who are forced into labour early in life and denied the
opportunity of schooling.
● The callousness of society and the political class to the sufferings of the poor

Story Line: Part 1

❖ Saheb is a young boy from Seemapuri who is a ragpicker.
❖ His parents migrated from Bangladesh because of famine and started rag picking
in Seemapuri.
❖ Saheb and many other children help their parents in earning livelihood by rag
picking.
❖These children do not wear Chappals or shoes; they have their own logic for not
doing so.
❖Saheb loves to wear shoes, attend school, watch tennis and do better work.
❖One day, suddenly he starts working in a tea-stall and abandons rag picking.
❖He is paid Rs.800 and all his meals but loses his freedom.
Part 2-

❖ Mukesh is from Firozabad (UP),

❖ Main occupation of people in Firozabad is making bangles. They
have been doing it from generations.
❖ They consider it as a divine work and don’t want anyone to change their
means of survival.
❖ There are many hazards in bangle making and they are caught in the web of
poverty.
❖ The nexus of politicians, police and middlemen prevents them from forming
cooperatives and they are exploited.
❖ Mukesh wants to break the barrier by becoming a motor mechanic.

Summary of Lost Spring

The author tells us stories of her interactions with children from deprived
backgrounds. She describes their poor condition and life in an interesting manner.
The story touches the reader and is thought provoking. The author described two of
her encounters with children from deprived backgrounds. Through them she wants to
highlight the plight of street children forced into labour early in life and are denied
the opportunity of schooling. Also, she brings out the callousness of society and the
political class towards the sufferings of the poor. The first encounter is with a rag
picker boy named Saheb – e – Alam who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971 and
lives in Seemapuri in Delhi. These ragpicker children look for ‘valuables’ in the
garbage – things like a coin or torn shoes which are as precious as ‘gold’ for them.
They could hardly manage some food for themselves, other things like identity,
education, shoes and sports are their unfulfilled dreams. Their parents scrounged the
garbage searching for things which helped them survive – afford food, clothing and
shelter for the family. The children hunted through the garbage heaps looking for
things which could partially fulfill their unfulfilled dreams.
One day the writer saw the boy, holding a steel can, going towards the milk booth.
He had got a job at a tea stall. He was happy that he would get eight hundred rupees
and all the meals. The writer noticed that Saheb had lost the freedom of being his
own master which he had enjoyed as a rag picker.
The second boy was Mukesh who belonged to a family of bangle makers in
Firozabad. The boy had a dream of becoming a car mechanic. On the contrary, his
family was traditionally engaged in bangle making, although the profession harmed
them physically and they hardly earned any money out of it. Still, no one dared to
dream of doing something else due to the fear of the police and the
middlemen. The family elders were content that other than teaching the art of bangle
– making to their children, they had been able to build them a house to live in. The
boy wanted to be a car mechanic. Cars were all that Mukesh had seen on the roads of
his town and so, he could not dream any further.

Q.1 Reference to context

A. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
“I have nothing else to do,” he mutters, looking away. “Go to school,” I say glibly,
realizing immediately how hollow the advice must sound.
“There is no school in my neighborhood. When they build one, I will go.”
“If I start a school, will you come?” I ask, half-joking. “Yes,” he says, smiling
broadly.
A few days later I see him running up to me. “Is your school ready?”
“It takes longer to build a school,” I say, embarrassed at having made a promise that
was not meant. But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world.
i. Saheb’s muttering and ‘looking away’ suggests his
a. anger
b. shyness
c. embarrassment
d. anxiety
Ans. Option (c)
ii. Of the four meanings of ‘glibly’, select the option that matches in meaning
with its usage in the extract.
a. showing a degree of informality
b. lacking depth and substance
c. being insincere and deceitful
d. speaking with fluency
Ans. Option (b)
iii. Who do you think Saheb is referring to as ‘they’, in the given sentence?
“When they build one, I will go”
a. The officials
b. The inhabitants
c. The teachers
d. The journalists
Ans. Option (a)

iv. Select the option that lists the feelings and attitudes corresponding to the
following:

1. I ask half-joking
2. ...he says, smiling broadly

Ans. Option (D)

v. ‘But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world’. This
suggests that
a. there is no dearth of promises which remain unfulfilled.
b. there is a scarcity of people promising things for betterment.
c. people make a lot of promises which are often fulfilled.
d. promises made, live up to the expectations of people.
Ans. Option (a)

B.Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

Unaware of what his name represents, he roams the streets with his friends, an army
of barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at noon. Over the
months, I have come to recognize each of them.
“Why aren’t you wearing chappals?” I ask one.
“My mother did not bring them down from the shelf,” he answers simply.
“Even if she did, he will throw them off,” adds another who is wearing shoes that do
not match.
When I comment on it, he shuffles his feet and says nothing. “I want shoes,” says a
third boy who has never owned a pair all his life. Traveling across the country I have
seen children walking barefoot, in cities, on village roads. It is not lack of money but
a tradition to stay barefoot is one explanation.

i. What is the writer’s purpose in allowing the boys to speak for themselves via
dialogue, as opposed to only a writer’s commentary?
Ans.

● To give voice to their hopes, dreams, and struggles in a way that is immediate
and relatable.
 ● To add a sense of authenticity and realism to the story.
● To make the experience more engaging and memorable for the reader.

ii. The line, "It is not lack of money but a tradition to stay barefoot" can be best
classified as:
a. A fact
b. An opinion
c. A theme
d. A plot point
Ans. Option (b)

iii. Explain any one possible inference that can be drawn from the line, "an
army of barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at
noon”.

● The boys are barefoot, which suggests that they may come from poor or
marginalized backgrounds and do not have access to proper footwear.
● The phrase "an army of barefoot boys" implies that the boys are a unified
group and that they have a sense of solidarity or shared identity.
● The comparison to "morning birds" suggests that the boys are lively and
energetic and that they move around quickly and unpredictably.
● The fact that the boys "disappear at noon" suggests that their time is limited or
constrained in some way and that they may need to return to their homes or
other responsibilities.
● The use of the word "disappear" may also imply that the boys are overlooked
or ignored by the wider society and that they are not given the recognition or
support that they need.
● The phrase "like the morning birds" could also imply that the boys are
vulnerable and that their carefree lifestyle may be disrupted by external factors
such as poverty, exploitation, or violence.

iv. Identify the line from the text that bears evidence of the fact that the writer's
association with the boys is not a recent one.¶

Ans. The line from the text: "Over the months, I have come to recognize each of
them.“

[This suggests that the writer has been observing and interacting with the boys for a
prolonged period of time and that she has developed a deeper understanding of their
lives and circumstances. The phrase "over the months" indicates that the writer's
relationship with the boys is ongoing and has developed gradually, rather than being
a one-time encounter.]

v. Based on the context provided in the extract, select the most likely comment
that the writer would have made, based on the boy's reaction to the mismatched
shoes.
a. "Why are your shoes mismatched? That's not a good look."
b. "Don't worry about your shoes, you can wear a matching pair later."
c. "I like your shoes. What matters is that they protect your feet."
d. "Have you chosen to mismatch your shoes?
Ans. Option (c)
[The reason for this is that the writer's comment had been met with silence and the
shuffling of feet by the boy, which suggests that he may feel embarrassed or
uncomfortable about his footwear. Therefore, a comment that emphasizes the
functional purpose of shoes and acknowledges their value in protecting one's feet
would likely be more reassuring and positive.]

Option (a) ("Why are your shoes mismatched? That's not a good look.") could be
seen as critical and potentially judgmental, and may not be well-received by the boy.

Option (b) ("Don't worry about your shoes, you can wear a matching pair later.")
may not be practical or realistic, depending on the boy's circumstances.

Option (d) ("Have you chosen to mismatch your shoes?") may come across as
sarcastic or dismissive, and may not effectively address the boy's feelings or needs.]

vi. Complete the sentence with ONE word. The phrase "he answers simply",
suggests that the boy's response to the writer's question about why he wasn't
wearing chappals was _____.
Ans. straightforward/uncomplicated/direct/clear.
vii. Saheb’s discarded and worn-out tennis shoes are _____.
a. an indication to procure different ones.
b. a dream come true.
c. a sign of his poverty.
d. an insult to the sport itself.
Ans. Option (b)
vii.Select the option that shows the correct relationship between (1) and (2) in
'Lost Spring'.
1. Bangle-makers are not able to escape the web of poverty.
2. Bangle makers lose their vision in their youth due to bad working conditions.
a. (1) is false and (2) is true.

b. (2) explains the reason for (1).

c. (1) is an assumption made from (2).
d. (2) is a fact whereas (1) is an opinion.
Ans. Option (b)

C. Food is more important for survival than an identity. “If at the end of the
day, we can feed our families and go to bed without an aching stomach, we
would rather live here than in the fields that gave us no grain,” say a group of
women in tattered saris when I ask them why they left their beautiful land of
green fields and rivers. Wherever they find food, they pitch their tents that
become transit homes. Children grow up in them, becoming partners in
survival. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it
has acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their
daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But for a child, it
is even more.

i. The phrase ‘transit homes’ refer to dwellings that are

a. unhygienic.
b. inadequate.
c. fragile.
d. temporary.
Ans. Option (d)
ii. Identify the figure of speech used in the sentence “Garbage to them is gold”.
a. hyperbole
b. simile
c. synecdoche
d. personification
Ans. Option (a)
iii. Choose the term which best matches the statement ‘Food is more important
for survival than an identity.”?
a. immorality
b. necessity
c. obligation
d. ambition
Ans. Option (b)
iv. What does ‘acquired the proportions of a fine art’ mean?
a. Rag-picking has regained its lost status.
b. A segment of ragpickers are skilled in fine arts.
c. Rag-picking has attained the position of a skill.
d. Only a few people are experts in rag-picking.
Ans. Option (c)
v. ‘That’s why they left, looking for gold in the big city.’ Here ‘gold’ indicates
a. misfortune of circumstances.
b. ample wealth.
c. means of survival.
d. a sign of luxury.
Ans. Option (c)
vi.Choose the statement that is NOT TRUE about ragpickers in Seemapuri.
a. Children are equally involved in rag picking as their parents.
b. The ragpickers settle down in a place permanently.
c. Rag picking has accomplished itself as a skill and form of art.
d. Ragpickers live in unsteady shanties on the outskirts of Delhi.
Ans. Option (b)The ragpickers settle down in a place permanently.
D. “I will learn to drive a car,” he answers, looking straight into my eyes. His dream
looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets that fill his town Firozabad, famous for
its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the
center of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations
working around furnaces, wielding glass, and making bangles for all the women in
the land it seems. Mukesh’s family is among them. None of them know that it is
illegal for children like him to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in
dingy cells without air and light; that the law, if enforced, could get him and all those
20,000 children out of the hot furnaces where they slog their daylight hours, often
losing the brightness of their eyes. Mukesh’s eyes beam as he volunteers to take me
home, which he proudly says is being rebuilt.

i. The simile ‘dream looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets’ indicates
that his dream was
a. a reality, yet seemed distant.
b. lost in the sea of dust.
c. illusory and indistinct.
d. hanging in the dusty air.
Ans. Option (c)
ii. ‘I will learn to drive a car,’ he answers, looking straight into my eyes. This
sentence highlights Mukesh was
1.determined
2.fearless
3.hopeful
4.valiant
5.ambitious
6.stern
a. 1 & 5
b. 2 & 4
c. 2 & 5
d. 3 & 6
Ans. Option (a)

Q.2 Why do you think Mukesh is content to dream of cars and doesn’t dream of
flying a plane?
Ans. Mukesh dreams of owning a car one day but doesn't dream of flying a plane
because his aspirations are limited by the environment in which he lives. Mukesh and
his family belong to a community of "bangle-makers" who are excluded from
mainstream society and denied access to education, healthcare, and other basic
amenities.

Mukesh has never been to school and his desire to own a car reflects his yearning for
a sense of dignity, mobility, and social status that he lacks in his current
circumstances.

Flying a plane is an ambition that requires a level of education, skills, and resources
that are beyond Mukesh's reach. He has never seen an airplane, let alone flown in
one, and doesn't have the knowledge or means to pursue such a goal. Mukesh's
dreams are thus bounded by the realities of his social and economic situation, and he
finds solace in imagining a more modest but still meaningful future for himself.

Q.3 "Mukesh is not like the others. His dreams loom like a mirage amidst the
dust of streets that fill his town Firozabad." Justify the statement in the light of
contrast in the mindsets of Mukesh and the people of Firozabad.
Ans. Firozabad- is dominated by the bangle industry, most families are engaged in
making bangles work around furnaces, physically and mentally hazardous but no one
dares to do anything else.
Mukesh - aspires to be a mechanic, unlike his peers, dares to dream, determined to
walk to a garage and learn to drive, his passion would help him break away from
tradition and achieve his goal.
Q.4 Do the poor have the right to dream? Why then does the author call
Mukesh's dream 'a mirage'?
Ans. Everyone has the right to dream-even Mukesh in spite of the challenges of his
life. But his dream is like a mirage. Mukesh belonged to a marginalized family. He
disliked the profession of bangle-making and wanted to become a motor mechanic.
He lives in such poor conditions that it is impossible for him to learn to drive a car.
He is bound by the traditional family of working in the bangle industry. Working for
years in those bangle-making mills will make him blind. The bangle-making
communities are not equipped to break out of the vicious circle of politicians
middlemen etc. So the dream is compared to a mirage/hallucination.
Q.5 Do you believe that ‘God-given lineage can be broken’? Support your
position with a rationale.
Ans. The idea of "God-given lineage" implies that a person's social status,
opportunities, and destiny are predetermined by their birth in a particular family or
community. This notion is often associated with the caste system in India and other
hierarchical systems that divide people based on their birth.
From a rational perspective, the notion of breaking God-given lineage is consistent
with the principles of social mobility and meritocracy, which are based on the idea
that individuals should be judged on their abilities and achievements rather than their
social background.
However, the notion of breaking God-given lineage can also be controversial and
challenging, particularly in societies where social hierarchies are deeply entrenched
and difficult to change. It may be seen as a threat to established power structures and
social norms and may face resistance from those who benefit from the status quo.

Q.6 How do you think the author’s life might have been impacted after her
interactions with the children and their families mentioned in ‘Lost Spring’?

Ans. Based on the book, it is clear that Anees Jung was deeply moved by the plight
of the children and families she encountered in the slums of Delhi. She was struck by
the contrast between the wealth and luxury of the city and the poverty and squalor of
the slums, and she was particularly affected by the resilience and dignity of the
children who had to work in order to survive.

It is possible that Anees Jung's experiences in the slums of Delhi may have
influenced her worldview and her approach to writing. She may have become more
aware of the social and economic inequalities that exist in Indian society and may
have developed a greater empathy for those who are marginalized and excluded.
Q.7 How does the story, ‘Lost Spring’ highlight the apathy of society and those
in power to end the vicious cycle of poverty? Support your answer with textual
evidence.
Ans.
Lack of access to education: The story depicts the fact that many children in
the slums do not have access to education. Even when they do attend school,
they often drop out early due to poverty or discrimination. The lack of
education perpetuates the cycle of poverty and prevents children from
improving their circumstances.
The exploitation of children: The story highlights the exploitation of children
who are forced to work in order to help support their families. Many of these
children work long hours in hazardous conditions for little pay.
Discrimination based on caste: The story portrays the discrimination faced by
people from lower castes in India. These people are often excluded from
mainstream society and denied access to education, healthcare, and other basic
amenities.
Lack of political will: The story suggests that there is a lack of political will to
address the issue of poverty in India. The government has failed to implement
policies that would provide greater opportunities for the poor and
marginalized, such as free education and healthcare.

Q.8 Certain traditions and lineage, condemn thousands of children to a life of

abject poverty and choke their aspirations.
i. Do you agree? Explain.
ii. How can we change this? Suggest some ways to tackle this issue.
Ans. i. Yes, I agree that certain traditions and lineage condemn thousands of children
to a life of abject poverty and choke their aspirations. The story "Lost Spring" by
Anees Jung illustrates this point by depicting the lives of children living in the slums
of Delhi. Many of these children are forced to work from a young age due to poverty
and lack of opportunities. They are denied access to education and other basic
amenities, and their social status often determines their future prospects. This is a
clear example of how tradition and lineage can perpetuate poverty and limit the
aspirations of children.

To tackle this issue, there are several steps that can be taken:

Education: Education is a key factor in breaking the cycle of poverty. By providing

free and accessible education to all children, regardless of their social status, we can
help to ensure that all children have an opportunity to improve their lives.

Empowerment: Empowering children and families to take control of their own lives
can also help to break the cycle of poverty. This can be done by providing training
and support in areas such as entrepreneurship and financial management.
Addressing discrimination: Discrimination based on caste, gender, or other factors
must be addressed in order to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to
succeed.
Government policies: The government can play an important role in tackling poverty
by implementing policies that provide support and opportunities for those who are
most in need. This can include initiatives such as free education and healthcare and
support for small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Awareness and advocacy: Raising awareness of the issue of poverty and advocating
for change can also help to bring about positive change. This can involve community
outreach programs, social media campaigns, and other forms of advocacy.

Q.9 'The cry of not having money to do anything except carry on the business of
making bangles, not even enough to eat, rings in every home.'
(The Lost Spring)
'...far from the city, we make our roadside stand and ask for some city money to feel
in hand'.
(A Roadside Stand)
Create a conversation between a bangle maker and the owner of a roadside stand
with reference to the above extracts.
You may begin the conversation like this:
Owner of a roadside stand: Your bangles are pretty. Tell me about your experience in
this business.
Ans. Owner of a roadside stand: Your bangles are pretty. Tell me about your
experience in this business.
Bangle Maker: Thank you. I have been making bangles for as long as I can
remember. It's a family business and we have been doing it for generations.
Owner of a roadside stand: I can understand. My situation is not very different. I also
have a small business, and I struggle to make ends meet.
Bangle Maker: Yes, it's not easy. We barely make enough to survive. The cry of not
having money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles, not
even enough to eat, rings in every home.
Owner of a roadside stand: I know how it feels. That's why I came to the city to set
up this roadside stand. But even here, it's a struggle to make enough money to
survive.
Bangle Maker: It's the same for us. We live far from the city, and when we come here
to sell our bangles, we ask for some city money to feel in our hand. It's a difficult
life.
Owner of a roadside stand: Yes, it is. But we have to keep going. We can't give up.
We have to find ways to improve our situation.
Bangle Maker: I agree. We need more opportunities to improve our business and our
lives. We need support from the government and society to break the cycle of
poverty.
Owner of a roadside stand: That's true. We need to work together and support each
other. Only then can we hope to overcome the challenges we face.
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