The Last Lesson

Short Questions:
1. Why was Franz tempted to miss the school that day?
2. What was Franz tempted to do instead of going to school and being
reprimanded?
3. On the way to school, where did Franz see a crowd? What was the
significance?
4. What unusual sight met Franzs eyes when he entered the classroom?
5. What order had the German army passed over France?
6. How did the teacher describe the French language?
7. Why did Mr. Hamel hold everyone responsible for being indifferent
towards the mother tongue?
8. What did M. Hamel announce at the start of the lesson?
9. Why did the villagers attend the last lesson by Mr. Hamel?
10.
What does M. Hamel say about the importance of language to an
enslaved people?
11.
How did M. Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of
the town?
12.

How is losing the mother tongue like losing identity ?

13.

Give a detailed description of the scene of the classroom.

14.

Describe M. Hamels last day at school.

15.
Bring out the difference in the environment of the classroom
before and after the announcement.
Detailed Questions:
1. What was M. Hamel like as a teacher?
2. How does the story highlight the brutalities of war?
3. How was the last lesson significant in the lives of the villagers?
4. How is language and culture a part of our identity?
5. How does Franzs last lesson change him?
Value based Question

1. We never realise the importance of something till it goes away.

Comment.
2. What do you understand by language chauvinism? does it still
exist?

Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen childhood

Short Questions:
1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
2. Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall?
3. How did Saheb react to the idea of going to school?
4. Bring out the irony in Sahebs name.
5. Why had people of Bangladesh left their own fields and come to settle
in the slums in Seemapuri?
6. How is Mukesh different from Saheb?
7. Why does the writer feel that the child in Udipi was more fortunate
than many others?
8. Describe the miserable plight of the people working at the glass
furnaces.
9. How did Mukesh want to accomplish his dreams?
10.

What was the reaction of Mukeshs family to their poverty?

11.
Why dont the people of Firozabad organize themselves into a
cooperative?
12.

Explain: Few airplanes fly over Firozabad.

13.
What are two distinct worlds in Firozabad as observed by the
author?
14.
What health hazards do the bangle makers suffer from and how
does it affect their next generations?
15.

Bring out the pathos and irony in Savitas story.

Detailed Questions:
1. How has the writer managed to bring about a contrast in the lives of
the rich and the poor in our country?

2. In what way is Seemapuri miles away from Delhi?

3. Why is it difficult for the bangle makers to break the vicious circle of
poverty?
Value based Questions
1. Write a paragraph on the plight of child labourers.
2. Why do you think that despite the efforts of the government, there still
exists hunger and poverty in our country.
Deep Water
Short Questions:
1. Why and when did William Douglas develop an aversion to water?
2. How were his first few days in the pool?
3. What initiated his accident in the pool at YMCA?
4. What was the writers first reaction on being flung into the pool?
5. What did he feel when he sank into the water the second time?
6. When the writer was flung into the water, why could he not implement
his plan to come out?
7. What effect did drowning have on the body of the writer?
8. Why did William Douglas hate the idea of getting into water?
9. How did the instructor make a swimmer out of William Douglas?
10.

The instructor was satisfied, but not Douglas. Why?

11.
Why did the Yakima River seem treacherous to the William
Douglas?
12.

How did he put himself to test? What was the outcome?

13.
What was the biggest lesson that the writer learnt during his
lessons in swimming?
14.
How did William Douglas make sure that he conquered the old
terror?
15.
When did William Douglas realize that he had overcome the
terror of water?
Detailed Questions:

1. How is William Douglas an inspirational figure?

2. What opinion do you form about William Douglas instructor?
3. Besides overcoming his fear of water, what more did William Douglas
gain from his single minded determination?
4. Describe in detail his struggle to overcome his fears.

Value based Questions

1. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Explain.
2. Perseverance and determination are important to win. How?
The Rat Trap
Short Questions:
1. How did the peddler earn his living?
2. Where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a Rat trap?
3. Why did the crofter entertain the peddler and serve him food?
4. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter?
5. How did he steal the money?
6. How was the blacksmiths reaction to the peddler different from that of
the ironmaster?
7. Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster?
8. What did the ironmaster think of it?
9. When did the ironmaster realize his mistake?
10.

How was the peddler treated at the ironmasters home?

11.
How does the ironmaster react after the peddlers real identity is
disclosed?
12.
Why did Edla Wilmanson urge the peddler to join Christmas Eve
even against her fathers anger?
13.

How did Elda prove to be wise and sensitive?

14.

Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?

15.

What made the peddler finally change his ways?

16.
How does the metaphor of the Rattrap serve to highlight the
human predicament?

17.
Why is the daughters decision to let the peddler stay a turning
point in the story?
Detailed Questions:
1. How had the world treated the tramp?
2. Had it not been for Elda, the peddler would never have redeemed
himself. Elaborate.
3. What explanation did the peddler give the iron master when he
confronted him with the truth?
4. How is the peddler a pitiful figure despite the fact that he lied and
stole?
Value based Questions
1. Do you agree that reformation cannot be forced? Why/ why not?
2. An act of kindness touches us more than hundreds of cruelties.
Comment.

3.
Indigo
Short Questions:
1. How did Rajkumar Shukla decide to meet Gandhi?
2. Why did Gandhi visit Muzaffarpur? Who received him there?
3. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers in Muzaffarpur?
4. What episode in Patna showed Gandhi the existence of a rigid caste
system?
5. What was the problem of sharecroppers in Champaran?
6. What was the deadlock? How did it end?
7. Why did Gandhi meet the secretary of the Britishs landlord
association?
8. What was the outcome of Gandhis meeting with the commissioner of
Tirhut division?
9. Why did Mahatma Gandhi decline the help of Andrews?
10.

How was Gandhi greeted at Motihari?

11.
Why did Gandhi not comply with the official orders to leave
Champaran?
12.

What was the final settlement? Why did Gandhi want it to be so?

13.
What message was sent to the British by the Champaran
episode?
14.
Why did Gandhi say, The battle of Champaran won? Was it
true?
15.

Why was Champaran episode a turning point in Gandhis life?

16.
What qualities of Gandhi are reflected in his remark, The British
cannot order me in my own country.
Detailed Questions:
1. How was Gandhi able to unite the people of Champaran?
2. Describe the efforts made by Rajkumar Shukla to persuade Gandhi to
visit Champaran?
3. Why do you think Gandhi delayed his plan?
4. How does the lesson give us an insight into Gandhis humanitarian
approach?

Value Based Questions

1. Gandhi had the qualities of a true national leader. Do you agree?
2. Violence is not the answer to injustice. Comment.
Going Places
Short Questions:
1. Why did Sophie dream of having a boutique?
2. Why does Jansie discourage her? What does this tell us about her?
3. Why did Sophie feel a tightening in her throat?
4. Why did Sophie share the things only with Geoff?
5. Words had to be prized out of him What does this tell us about
Geoff?
6. Why didnt Sophie confide in Jansie about Danny?
7. What did Geoff think of Danny Casey and his promise to Sophie?

8. And she saw it all again What did Sophie see?

9. What did Geoff warn Sophie about Danny?
10.
Which spot does Sophie choose to meet Danny? How is it
significant?
11.

Did Sophie really meet Danny? Why/ Why not?

12.

How does Sophie describe Danny? Why does she do so?

Detailed Questions:
1. Sophie is a middle class girl who longs like any other teenager to reach
out to the horizons. Justify the statement.
2. How is the story a journey into Sophies dream world?
3. What do we learn about Sophies family from the story?
4. Do you think the story is aptly titled? Why/why not?
Value based Questions:

1. What do you learn about adolescent behaviour?

2. We all may live in a family yet be detached from each other. Discuss.

MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow each:
Driving from my parent's
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain
that she thought away, and
looked but soon
put that thought away, and

looked out at young

trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,

Questions:
A. Where was the poet driving to?
B. What did she notice while her mother sat beside her?
C. Why was her mothers face like that of a corpse?
D. What did the poet do then?
E. Find words from the passage which mean:
i)
ii)
iii)

felt
sleep lightly
dead body

looked but soon

put that thought away, and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes
A)How were the young trees sprinting?
B) What did she see the children doing?
C) Which poetic device has been used here?
D) What made the poet look out?
E) What do young trees and merry children symbolise?

standing a few yards

away, I looked again at her, wan,
pale
as a late winter's moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood's fear,

a) what image do you form of the mother from these lines?

b) How has the poet contrasted this image?

c) Which poetic device has been used here?

d) What is the poets childhood fear?
e) What is the significance of using the word winter?

and felt that

old
familiar ache, my childhood's fear,
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and
smile
a) What is the familiar ache felt by the poet?
b) What thoughts were crowding the poets mind when she looked
at her mother?
c) Did she share her thoughts with her? Why/ why not?
d) Why did the poet smile?
e) Why is the word smile repeated?

Short Answer Questions:

1. Where is the poet going and who is with her?
2. How does the poets mother look like? What kind of images has the
poet used to signify her ageing decay?
3. Why does the poet put that thought away and looks outside?
4.What is the expression on the poets mothers face? What does it tell
us about her?
5. why is the poet unable to communicate her thoughts to her mother?
6.what is the significance of Sprinting trees?

7.how has the poet used contrasting imagery of life and death in the
poem?

Value based Questions

1. Our parents mortality is the hardest truth to bear. Explain.
2. How is our society ignoring its responsibilities to the elderly?

An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow each:

Far far from gusty waves these children's faces.

Like rootless weeds, the hair torn around their pallor.
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paperseeming boy, with rat's eyes.

A) Where are the children sitting? Describe their faces and hair.
B) Why is the head of the girl weighed-down.
C) What does the boys description tell us about him?
D) Why has the expression rat's eyes been used?
E) How are the children like rootless weeds?
F) Why has the poet repeated the word far in the first line?
G) What impact does this have on the reader?

The stunted, unlucky heir

Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease,
His lesson from his desk.

a. Who is being called unlucky heir?

b. What has he inherited?

c. Why do you think the word reciting has been used here?
d. What image do you form of the person being described?

At back of the dim class

One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel's game, in the tree room, other than this.
a. Who sits at the back unnoticed?
b. How is he different?
c. Explain: His eyes live in a dream.
d. Why has the poet mentioned squirrel's game?
e. How does this imagery tie up with the image of rat
somewhere else in the poem?

On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare's head,

Cloudless at dawn, civilized dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. Open-handed map
Awarding the world its world.
a. Why has the phrase sour cream been used to
describe the colour of the walls?
b. What does the word donations suggest?
c. Why is Shakespeare's head mentioned?
d. How does it relate to another mention of
Shakespeare in the poem?
e. What type of map is on the walls?
f. How does the world in the picture contrast with
the world of the children?

And yet, for these

Children, these windows, not this world, are world,
Where all their future's painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky,
Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words.

a. What is the world of these children like?

b. What kind of future does the poet foresee for them?
c. What does the fog signify?
d. Explain: Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words
e. What do windows and map suggest?
f. What kind of sky is stretched over the children?

Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, and the map a bad example

With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal-For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night?

a. Why is Shakespeare called wicked?

b. What example does the map set?
c. What is the significance of sun, ships and love?
d. What image is invoked by cramped holes, fog and
endless night?
e. Why has the word sly been used in context with the slum
children?

On their slag heap, these children

Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
All of their time and space are foggy slum.

a. What does slag heap mean?

b. Explain: Wear skins peeped through by bones.
c. What does the expression like bottle bits on stones show?
d. What do the broken and mended spectacles hint at?
e. What is the childrens world defined by?

Unless, governor, teacher, inspector, visitor,

This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs,
Break O break open 'till they break the town

a. What is the slum school like?

b. What appeal does the poet make to the governor, teacher,
inspector, visitor?
c. How can the map become their window?
d. What are catacombs? How are their lives like catacombs?
e. Is the poet hopeful about a better future? How can you
say?

And show the children green fields and make their world
Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books, the white and green leaves open
History is theirs whose language is the sun.

a. What kind of the world does the poet want the children to inhabit?
b. What is the significance of green fields and gold sands?
c. Explain: let their tongues run naked into books.
d. What is the sun a symbol of?
e. What hope does the poet have for the children of the slum?

Short Answer Questions:

1. How does the poet describe the hopelessness of the boy?

2. What image of the slum does the poem create?
3. How are the children in the slums victims of social injustice?
4. How has the poet used dark and bleak imagery in an effective
manner?
5. How are the slums as big as doom?
6. How are the lives of the children limited by the boundaries of the
slum?
7. The only hope for the slum children lies in education- explain.
8. Where does the poet see hope for the childrens future?
9. How can one make a mark on history?
10.

What is th underlying theme of the poem?

11. How does the world depicted on the walls differ from the world of
the slum children?
12.

How is the slum a dark blot on the world?

Value based Question

1. Many children in India are victims of their circumstances. Is there

any hope for them? Discuss.
2. Describe the bleak existence of slum children.
Keeping Quiet

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow each:

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth

lets not speak in any language,
lets stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

a. Why does the poet want us to count till twelve?

b. What can be achieved by keeping quiet?
c. Why does the poet not want us to move our arms so much?
d. Why does he not want any language to be spoken?
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness

a. What would be an exotic moment? why?

b. Who is the poet addressing?
c. What is the present condition of the world?
d. How can people be brought togrther?
e. Explain: a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold sea

would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

a. What is expected to happen in the moment of silence?

b. Who do fishermen represent here?
c. What would happen if fishermen do not harm the fish?
d. what imagery does the poet use? Explain?

life is what it is about

I want no truck with death

If we were not so single minded
About keeping our lives moving
And for once could do nothing
Perhaps a huge silence

a.

Explain the second line.

b.

What does the poet want us to do?

c.

What does the poet want us to do?

d.What should be there instead of making war?

perhaps the Earth can teach us

As when everything seems dead
And later proves to be alive
Now Ill count upto twelve
And you keep quiet and I will go.

a.

What can the earth teach us?

b.

Why does the poet count upto twelve?

c.

What would keeping quiet help us achieve?

d.Why do you think the poet has used the capital letter E in Earth in
the poem?

Those who prepare green wars

Wars with gas, wars with fire
Victory with no survivors
Would put on clean clothes
And walk about with their brothers
In the shade, doing nothing

a. In which wars are there no survivors?

b. What are green wars? Why are they called so?
c

Who would put on clean clothes?

d
e

What does put on clean clothes signify?

How can brotherhood be established in the world?

It would be an exotic moment

Without rush, without engines,
We would all be together
In a sudden strangeness

a.

What does it refer to?

b.
Who is the poet speaking to?
c.
What would the moment be like?
d. why is being called exotic?
e. explain : sudden strangeness.

Questions
How do we know that the poet is not advocating complete inactivity and death ?
What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem ?
What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life
under apparent stillness ?
How can the idea of wars, and the vanquished be negated ?
What does the poet predict if the present scenario of war and conflict
continues?
What lesson can humans learn from nature?
What are green wars? what could be the consequences of those?
What exotic moment does the poet wish for?
Value Based Question
1. Our whole life is spent in a never ending rat race. Do you agree?
2. Man is single-handedly responsible for the destruction of nature. Comment.

A Thing of Beauty

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its lovliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Explain: A thing of beauty is a joy for ever

Why do beautiful things not pass into nothingness?
What does the poet mean by bower quiet?
What kind of sleep is he referring to?
Wht impact can such sleep have on our lives?
How can the loveliness of a beautiful thing increase?

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkn'd ways
Made for our searching
a. What does the poet mean by wreathing a flowery band? what is it a
symbol of?
b. Why do we need to wreathe a flowery band every morning?
c. What is the spite of despondence?
d. How does the dearth of noble natures occur in our lives?
e. How do days become gloomy?
yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils

why does the poet say in spite of all?

What is the pall that covers our spirits? How does it fall on our spirits?
What can remove the pall from our dark spirits? How?
What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and ordeals?
How are the sun and moon beautiful things?
How does the poet celebrate the beauty of a tree?
What does simle sheep signify?
How is tree a perfect example for a beautiful thing in its greatness by
providing shade to the simple sheep?
How are the daffodils beautiful things?

and the clear rills that for themselves

a cooling covert make against the hot season;
The mid forest brake, rich with a sprinkling of musk rose blooms;
a.
b.
c.
d.

What are clear rills? What act of the rill makes it a beautiful thing?
How is the mid forest brake made rich?
What act of the musk rose makes it beautiful?
What image is the poet evoking here?

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heavens brink.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the grandeur of the dooms of the great people? How does
the poet compare this grandeur with that of the beautiful things?
Who are the mighty dead?
Why are they called so? How are they beautiful?
Which tales does the poet here refer to? Why are they lovely?
How are the lovely tales fountain of immortal drink?
Questions
1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.
3. What does the line Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to
bind us to
earth suggest?
4. What makes human beings love life in spite of all troubles?
5. Do we experience things of beauty only for a short time? Why/ why
not?
6. How does a thing of beauty provide us shelter and comfort?
7. What is the message of the poem A Thing of Beauty?

Value based Questions

1. How are we inspired by things that are b eautiful?

2. It is natural to be moved by beauty and it is also true that beauty lies

in the eyes of the beholder. Comment.

Aunt Jennifers Tigers

1 They do not fear the men beneath the tree

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty
a. Are Aunt Jennifers tigers real? Give reasons.
b. Why do the tigers not fear the men beneath the tree?
c. What do you understand by chivalric certainty?

2. What kind of ordeals is Aunt Jennifer surrounded by?

3. Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.

The massive weight of uncles weding band
Sits heavily upon aunt Jennifers hand
a. Why were her hands fluttering?
b. What is suggested by the image the massive weight of uncles wedding
band?
c. Why did she create animals so different from her own character?
d. Which state is she in?
e. Why is it hard to pull the needle?
4. Aunt Jennifers Tigers prance across a screen

Bright Topaz citizens of a world of green

They do not fear the men beneath the tree
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty
a. Why has the poet used the words denizens and chivalric?
b. Why has the description of the tigers attitude been given?
c. Find synonyms of - brave, residents
d. How do denizens and chivalric add to our understanding of the tigers?

6. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie

Still ringed with ordeals she was masters by
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid
a. Why have the hands been described as terrified?
b. Explain the contrast in the aunt and the tigers.
c. Explain the relevance of the second line.
d. How does the poet describe aunt Jennifers tigers?8. What are the tigers
symbolic of?

Questions

1. What is the significance of uncles wedding band? Why does aunt Jennifer
find it heavy?
2. Why do you sympathize with aunt Jennifer?
3. What will happen to Aunt Jennifers tigers when she is dead?
4. How has she made the tigers? What traits do they show?
4. What do the symbols tigers, fingers, and ring stand for?
5. Describe the tigers on the panel ?

6. What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer ?

Long Questions:

1. How would you describe the relationship between Aunt Jennifer and the
tigers?
2. How would you describe the relationship between Aunt Jennifer and
"Uncle"?
3. Do you see any connections between the poem's use of couplets and its
content?

Value Based Questions

1. Emancipation of women is still a myth in countries like India. Comment.
2. The salvation of any society lies in the liberation of its women. Do you
agree?