SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS - I
(to be answered in about 20--30 words eacl)
Q1. Why did Lencho's fields necd 'a downpour or a
shower'? Or
Why did Lencho see the sky towards north-east
the entie morning?
The corn in Lencho's field was al1most ripe and
was dotted with flowers. This was a promise of a
good harvest but only if there was some
downpour or at least a shower. So, Lencho saw the
sky towards north-east the entire morning
expectingrain.
Q2. Why did Lencho go out of his house when it
started raining? Or
Why did Lencho go out and get wet in the rain?
Lencho went out of his house when it started
raining because he had been awaiting rain for a
long timne. The prospect ofa rich harvest left him
excited and he wanted to feel the pleasure of rain
on his body.
Q3. What did Lencho compare the raindrops with
and why? Or
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like 'new
coins'? Or (Textual)
How did Lencho describe the raindrops?
Or
"These are not raindrops falling from the sky,
they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent
pieces and the little ones are fives." Why did
Lencho say this?
Lencho compared the raindrops with 'new coins.
He compared the big drops to the ten cent pieces
and the little ones to the five cent pieces. He felt so
because these raindrops were round, shining and
precious like coins. Besides, like coins, they were
expected to bring him the wealth ofa good harvest
ofcorn.
Q4, "It's really getting bad now". What was getting
bad, according to Lencho?
Theweather was getting bad because the rain was
S00n aCcompanied by a strong wind. This wind
blew hard and brought in large hailstones that
were as big as new silver coins and threatened to
ruin Lencho's crop.
Q5. How did Lencho's family come to his support
when his crop was ruined by the hailstorm?
Or (CBSE Question Bank (Modified)}
How did Lencho's family empathise with him in
the time of crisis?
Lencho's family remained optimistic even after
the harvest was ruined. They exhorted him not to
get upset and reminded him that no one dies of
hunger.
06. "Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an
animal in the fields, but still he knew how to
write." What does this tell us about farmers
during Lencho's times?
(CBSE Question Bank (Modified)}
This line tells us that it was normal amongst the
farmers of those days to remain illiterate. They
simply slogged in the fields like animals. Only
rarely did a farmer care to learn to read and write.
07. What were the contents of Lencho's first letter to
God? Or
Whodid Lencho write his first letter to? What did
hewrite in it?
Lencho wrote his first letter to God. In this letter,
he told God that if He will not help him,his entire
family would go hungry that year. He then asked
Him to send a hundred pesos to sow his field
again and live on it till the next harvest.
Q8, How did the postmaster react on seeing Lencho's
first letter to God?
The postmaster was deeply moved to see a letter
addressed to God. He marvelled at the sensitivity
of the idea to start up acorrespondencewith God.
So, in order not to shake the writer's strong faith in
God, he decided to answer it.
Q9. What idea did the postmaster come up
with after Lencho was angry on finding just seventy pesos
reading Lencho's letter? Or enclosed in the letter. He felt that God could
What did the postmaster resolve to do after neither have made a mistake nor could have
reading Lencho's letter? How did he fulfill it? denied his request. He suspected that the
(Textual) dishonest post office employees must have stolen
After reading Lencho's letter, the kind-hearted the missing amount.
postmaster understood that to answer it he Q13. Why did Lencho decide to write a second letter to
needed more than goodwill. So, he resolved to God?
keep Lencho's faith intact. To fulfillthis resolve he Lencho was angry to find just seventy pesos
collected money from his friends and contributed enclosed in God's reply. Suspecting the
a part of his salary as well to be sent to Lencho on dishonesty of the post office people, he decided to
God's behalf. write a second letter to God asking for the rest of
Q10. An amount of 70 pesos was raised by the amount.
the
postmaster. What light does this gesture reflect Q14. What were the contents ofLencho's second letter
on humnan beings in general and the post to God? Or
master
in particular? What did Lencho write in his second letter to
The postmaster's gesture reflects the goodness of God?
human heart. Human beings are generally The second letter was a request to
God for
charitable at heart and volunteer to help their sending the remaining thirtypesos. The letter also
fellow beings. The incident particularly reflects requested God not to send the amount through
the postmaster's generosity and graciousness. the mail as the employees there were a
Q11. How did Lencho react on receiving God's letter? bunch of
crooks who had stolen his money.
Or Q15. How do you think the
Was Lencho surprised to find the letter
with
postmaster must have
waited for Lencho's reaction on
money in it? Or
(Textual) reply to his letter? (CBSE receiving God's
Lencho did not show the slightest Question Bank (Modified)}
surprise on The
seeing the money. What does this tell you about postmaster must have been very keen and
Lencho's faith in God?
restless to know Lencho's reaction on
reply from God. He must receiving a
Lencho did not show the slightest have expected some
surprise on words of praise for God as well as
seeing the money because he had firmfaith in the post office
employees.
God. He believed that God was his
only hope and Q16. How, according to you,
He would definitely come to
his rescue since He reacted on Lencho's wife must have
could see even what was deep in learning that he had actually written
one's conscience. aletter to God?
Q12. What made Lencho angry {CBSE Question Bank
letter?
when he opened the Lencho's wife would have been (Modified)}
Or
that he was writing an surprised to know
How did Lencho react actual letter to God.
when he counted the However, since she was a
money? Or would not have supportive wife, she
What were Lencho's
feelings when he opened the
dissuadedhim.
letter with money in it?
 SHORTANSWER QUESTIONS - I
(to be answered in about 40-50 words each)
O1. How did the storm damage Lencho's fields?
Or
Describe the scene after the hailstorm. Or
What happened to Lencho's fields after the heavy
storm? Or
How did the rain change? What happened to
Lencho's fields? Or (Textual)
How did the 'new silver coins' bring disaster to
Lencho's corn field?
The storm that began with a light drizzle, soon
turned violent. Strong winds began to blow and
were accompanied by large hailstones. For an
hour, the hailstones, that resembled 'new silver
coins', rained on the house, the garden, the
hillside, the cornfield and the valley. They covered
the field like a sheet of white salt. Not a leaf
remained on the tress and the corn in the field was
completely destroyed. The flowers too had gone
from the plants.
Q2. What were Lencho's feelings when the hail
stopped? Or (Textual)
What did Lencho tell his sons after the storm had
passed? Or
"A plague of locusts would have left more than
this".When and why did Lencho say these words?
Or
Why was Lencho's soulfilled with sadness?
After the storm had passed, Lencho's soul was
filled with sadness. He helplessly looked at his
completely destroyed corn-field and exclaimed
that even the locusts wouldn't have ruined the
crops to such an extent. He also said that in the
absence of the harvest, the entire family would
have to starve that year.
Q3. Why did Lencho decide to write a letter to God?
Or
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did
he do? Or (Textual)
13
What did Lencho do on a Sunday morning
following the storm?Why? Or
Why was Lecho and his family in distress? Whom
did Lencho ask for help?
Following the total devastation of his corn field by
the hailstorm, Lenchowas filled with sorrow. His
family was on the brink of starvation. In this
critical time, God was his only hope. Having full
faith in Him, he decided to write a letter to God on
a Sunday morning and ask for a hundred pesos to
sOw his field again and to live until the crop came.
Q4. How did the employees at the post office react on
seeing Lencho's letter?
The postmaster and his employees were shocked
to see Lencho's letter addressed to God. They
found it very amusing and started to laugh
heartily after reading it. However, the postmaster
immediately got serious and adnired the man's
unflinching faith. The idea of starting a
correspondence with God fascinated him.
Q5. "The field was white, as if covered with salt."Why
do you think the snow-laden field was described
as 'covered with salt' and not'covered with sugar
lumps? Justify your opinion.
{CBSE Question Bank (Modified)}
Both sugar and salt are white elements but sugar
is sweet and it could not have conveyed the negative
impact of hailstorm on the crops. The fields had
been destroyed in a manner similar to the
degenerative effect of salt which cuts off the water
supply to roots making the plants wilt and die.
Q6. Create a short conversation between Lencho and
his wife at the time when the downpour turned
into a hailstorm. (CBSE Question Bank (Modified))
LENCHO : It's really getting bad now. I
hopeit passes quickly.
LENCHO'sWIFE: It will pass. Don't lose hope, dear.
LENCHO : Look, it seems to be worsening.
LENCH0'SWIFE : Yes it is, but we'llfind away out.
Don'tworry!
ENGLISH Lan
 ofhunger.
Q7. Was Lencho's approach to seek help from God in
the time of crisis justified? Why/Why not?
{CBSE Question Bank (Modified)}
Lencho's turning toGod alone for help was nota
justified approach. His firm faith in God is
appreciable but he should have also sought a
more practical solution to the problem. He could
have explored the possibility of getting a loan to
buy seeds tosow in his fields again. He could have
also sought help from relatives or friends.
Q8. Lencho dropped the letter into the
mailbox at the
post office. Why did the postman laugh
heartily
when heshowed this letter to his
have also laughed if you were the
boss?Would you
postman?
Why/Why not?
The postman laughed when he
showed Lencho's
letter to his boss because he Q2.
thought it to be a
childish act. He knew that it was
the post office to deliver a impossible for
letter to God. I too might
have laughed at such a
situation because I
presume that all grown up people know that we
can't send letters toGod.
eword 'God' in
actually taken the (rouble to
anted Lencho to
seventy pesos hat Ihe received. contribute to the
the money was office employees not taken this lad the post
elf.
farmer and his lamily would havestep, the po0r
aster's reaction had to face
starvation thatyear. It is again ironical that encho
referred these kind-hearted souls as 'a
to
bunch of
os to Lencho in crooks' in his second letter to God. The
irony is
experienced the further compounded when Lencho instructs G0d
erformed a good not to send the remaining
money through the
d the farmer to mail. Therefore, Lencho's firm faith in
God's
reciation in his generosity remains steadfast, but ironically he
rly opened this doubts the goodness ofhuman beings.
opped it in the 05. There are two kinds of conflicts in the story -
nis expectations, between humans and nature and between
no had expressed humans themselves. How are these conflicts
received the illustrated? (Textual)
he had doubted The story "A Letter to God" opens with a
conflict
ployees and had between humans and nature. This conflict is
illustrated when the hailstorm completely
de shock to the destroys Lencho's crops. The hard working
him heartbroken farmer, along with his sons, toiled in his fields and
ave felt that his expectantly waited for a downpour to seal the
vever, since he is prospects of a very good harvest. However,
ter he might have nature, in its vicious mood, came in direct conflict
having been able with him at this time. The helpless Lencho
God had been witnessed the ruin of his labour caused by the
s that Lencho had hostile nature.
help was not sent The second conflict, which is between the humans,
is illustrated when Lenchoaccuses the post office
ken the rest of the employees as dishonest and calls them a 'bunch
esituation? of crooks' in his second letter to God. He fails to
(Textual) see their act of charity and doubts their integrity.
he found that God This situation shows a conflict between humans
$?Why is it ironical? which is the outcome of mistrust of one man with
ound that God had another. Nature is more powerful than man, so
pecause he had firm
human beings accept defeat in case of a conflict
t God could neither
with a superior power. However, they resent a
situation where the conflict is with another
ding less money nor
human being who is equally strong.
at he had requested.
about the missing Q6. Thestory"A Letter to God" contains three letters.
employees who had Which one of these does the title refer to?
 he contributed a large amount for Lencho's help.
He gathered this courage because God had
chosen him to helphis fellowbeings in distress.
o0, Kindness and charity towards our fellow beings
is a true religion. Discuss the statement in the
light of the help received by Lencho from the
postmaster. (CBSE Question Bank (Modified)
Religion is not merely chanting of hymns and
verses or recitation of holy scriptures. True
religion is doing kind deeds to keep glowing the
flame of humanity. The postmaster was truly
religious because he did not deter fromn his
humane responsibility. He came to Lencho's
rescue in spite of not being an affluent person
himself. He knew that God will not directly answer
Lencho's letter and felt that it was important to
keep alive the ardent faith of an innocent farmer
in God. This was a religious duty that the postman
took upon himself. He initiated the collection of
funds to help Lencho and contributed liberally to
it. This was nothing short of a holy act upholding
the tenets ofa true religion.
Q11. How does Fuentes portray Lencho in the story 'A
Letter to God'? {CBSEItem Bank2021}
Ultimately, the reader meets Lencho as a simple
man with unflinching faith in God.
Q12. In responseto Lencho's letter, did God actually
help him?
God's ways are mysterious. He does answer our
prayers and responds to our pleadings but His
omniscient power doesn't appear in person to
work miracles for us. He fulfills our wishes through
his instruments in such aspontaneous manner
that one wonders whether it is a chance happening
ora shower of His grace. In Lencho's case, God did
answer his request albeit indirectly and partially.
The seventy pesos that reached Lencho were an
act of charity done by the people who too believed
in God's kindness. The motive of thesepeople was
not to let Lencho's faith in God be shaken. Their
volunteering to take upon themselves the
responsibility to help Lencho was in fact their way
of answering God's call. They too must have
experienced God's generosity and thus they made
an effort to keep alive a simple man's faith

Fuentes portrays Lencho in an interesting

manner. He begins by telling that Lencho was a
hard-working farmer who knew his fields
"intimately'. Then he sheds light on the changing
feelings of Lencho about the rain. When the rain is
mild, Lencho enjoys the 'pleasure of feeling the
rain on his body' and equates the raindrops to
'new coins'. When hail starts, he is suddenly
engulfed by worry, despair and dejection. Amid
this scenario, Fuentes tells the reader about
Lencho resting the day with hope inGod. Later in
the story, he describes Lencho's reaction to the
undaunted
money that he receives from God. His
faith in the generosity of God is highlighted again.
When Lencho terms the post-office employs as a
 ALetter to God
1 (G LFuentes)
ABOUTTHE STORY
Introduction
"A Letter to God" is astory about an innocent man who
has unshakeable faith in the generosity of God. But this
faith gives rise to an amusing situation where the
persons who try to save this man's faith in God are
accused by him ofbeing 'a bunch of crooks'.
Summary
"A Letter to God" is the story of Lencho, a very hard
working and a God-fearing peasant who lives with his
family in an isolated house. When the story opens, we
find him waiting for a downpour that will assure a very
rich harvest. Lencho shares his hope with his wife who
agrees with her husband, although not as enthusiastically
as him. Asthe family settles down for dinner, Lencho's
prediction about the rainfall comes true. This welcome
rain thrills Lencho, and he runs out of the house like a
child to get the pleasant feel of raindrops on his body.
Little does he expect that the raindrops which promised
ashower of prosperity would spell disaster. The constant
rain is soon accompanied by very large hailstones
which keep hitting the entire valley for more than an
hour,eventually destroying the crops to the last grain.
Lencho helplessly watches his devastated fields with
his sons by his side. He observes that even a swarm of
locusts wouldn'thave created as much havoc. The family
sits together lamenting their loss. Yet their unflinching
faith in God saves them from absolute frustration and
they countupon the Almighty's generosity.
Lencho knows that nothing is hidden from God's eyes,
so on the following Sunday, he writes a letter to God
asking for ahundred pesos. IHe asks for this money so
that he can sow his field again and tide over the crisis till
the next harvest. Addressing the letter to God, Lencho
personally takes it to the town for posting il. At the post
office he stamps it duly and drops it into the mail box.
This unigue letter with an unusual addressee's name
causes much amusement in the post office. In the
midst of laughter, the postmaster admits that he is
touched by the deep faith of the sender. He decides to
send an answer to Lencho on God's behalf, so that his
faith remains steadfast.
He opens the letter to find that Lencho has requested
God to send himn money. However, he does not shirk
from helping Lencho and contributes a part of his
salary to help him. Healso raises some more money by
seeking donations from his friends and employees.
However, even the best of his efforts can't get him a
hundred pesos and he has to manage this 'act of
charity' with seventy pesos only. He puts the money in
an envelope, writes a letter with only one word-'God',
and addresses it to Lencho.
Next Sunday, Lencho returns to the post office to
collect God's response to his request. The postmaster
hands him the letter and looks on from his office like a
contended man who has performed a good deed.
Lencho opens the 'letter from God' and confidently
takes out the enclosed money. However, he gets angry
after counting it and feels that God could not have
made a mistake in sending him thirty pesos short. He
could also not have denied Lencho's request.
Immediately, he asks for paper and ink and writes
another letter to God. He buys a stamp, affixes it on the
envelope and puts it in the mailbox. The postmaster
opens it to find an ironical response from Lencho. In
this letter, Lencho had complained to God that he had
received only seventy pesos and God must send the rest
at the earliest. But he instructs God not to send the
money through the mail because the employees at the
post office were an untrustworthy 'bunch ofcrooks'.
TITLE
The title "A Letter to God" is direct and simple as it
highlights the letter written to God by Lencho. This
letter displays a man's faith in God as well as the
 believed that
turned into the destructive hail, he still
kindness of the postmaster. The poor farmer's belief in faith in God,
the generosity of God is reflected through this letter. God would help him. Displaying his deep
requesting to send him a
he even wrotea letter to Wim
Even the helpful nature of the posmaster finds an
hundredpesos ashelp.
expression after he reads this letter to God. Aihough which made
Lencho writes two lettes to God, it is the first letter
that Lenchohadachild-like confidence in God fulfill
to his letter and
forms the binding element oflencho's story. him believethat God willrespond
only seventy pes0s, he
THEME his request. When he received else could
imagine that someone
God did not even once integrity
"ALettertoGod" is based onthe theme that faith in have sent that money.
Rather, he doubted the
office and wrote another
letter
cannot be shaken.Lencho, the farmer, believes strongly of the people at the post
the hope to
in the generosity of God. This faith gives him hailstorm. send the remaining money
to God telling Him not to
crops to conviction that neither
get help from God when he loses his through mail. He had a firm
when he gets mistake of sending less
He actually writes to God for help and could God have made the
God's grace. On the denied his request.
the response, he does not doubt money norcould He have
employees of him
contrary, he suspects the honesty of the It was this
unquestionable faith in God that gave
the post office. situations in life. His
difficult
immense strength to face
Another sub-theme is that good
and kind souls are and honesty make him
child-like simplicity, innocence
believers to keep their
God'smessengers. They help the an inspiring character.
colleagues belong
faith intact. The postmaster and his Postmaster
kindness does not even get
tothis category. Their act of kind-hearted and a compassionate
hard earned The postmaster was a
acknowledged but they part with their deep faith of Lencho in the
money to make Lencho
believe that God has answered man. He was amazed by the
appreciation for
kindness of God. He expressed his
his request. behalf of
MESSAGE
Lencho's belief by sending him money on
responsibility of
God. He took upon hinmself the
conveys the message that generously
The story "A Letter to God" collecting money for Lencho and
Lencho's faith in God gets fund. His
faith can move mountains. contributed a part of his salary to this
indirectly and not
him financial help even though sincerity can be seen in the way he made every possible
this reinforces a
entirely as desired by him. However, effort to save a simple peasant's faith in
God. He made
in the power of God. The intact so that the
poor and simple man's faith sure that Lencho's faith remained
responsibility to
people, who take upon themselves the novel way in which he had started a
communication
alive the spirit of
uphold Lencho's faith, inspire to keep with God does not become awasted effort.
their kindness is
humanity. It is immaterial whether similar faith in
power of God Like a true believer, he wished to have a
acknowedged or not, the faith in the
the goodness of the Almighty.
remains steadfast.
a source
CHARACTERS The postmaster, thus not only becomes
also
through whom God sends help to Lencho but
Lencho
becomes an admirable character who inspires the
Lencho was a hardworking farmer and an innocent virtues of fellow-feelingand generosity.
'ox of a
person having immense faith in God. He was an
man'. He toiled hard and never complained about it. He
waited anxiously for the rain which he thought would
help in agood harvest of corn. However, when the rain

ENGLISH Language & Literature- 10