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  MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD Q. What was Zitkala - Sa's idea regarding short, shingled hair? Ans : Zitkala's mother told her that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners and shingled hair by cowards. Q. When did Bama experience untouchability? Ans : Bama first encountered untouchability when she saw an elder of her caste walking along the street from the direction of the bazaar. Initially the vision of the elderly man carrying a packet by its string made her laugh. But then she saw the elder walk up straight to the landlord, bowing low and extending the packet towards him. Her brother told him that that was an instance of untouchability. Q. How did Zitkala - Sa try to hide herself from 'others' in the school? Did she succeed? Ans : When Zitkala - Sa's friend Judewin told her that their hair would be cut short, Zitkala-Sa decided to fight back. She stealthily came out of the din...

 Memories of Chota Sahib Q. Who was John Rowntree? Ans : John Rowntree was the last British senior conservator of forest of Assam.   Q. Name the book from which the lesson Memories of Chota Sahib is extracted? Ans : The lesson 'Memories of Chota Sahib' is extracted from John Rowntree's famous book' A Chota Sahib : Memories of a Forest Officer'.   Q. By what name is the peacock island popularly known? Ans : The peacock island is popularly known as Umananda.   Q. What did the author observe from his bunglow beyond the Brahmaputra? Ans : Peacock island was located in the middle of the river Brahmaputra. When viewed from Rowntree's bungalow on the other bank, he observed a splendid view with the dome of a Hindu Temple just visible through the trees.   Q. What are the pug marks ? Ans : The pug marks are the footprints of animals.   Q. What is mahseer? Ans : Mahaseer is a freshwater fish.   Q. Name the places where...

 Going Places  Q. Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolize? Ans : Geoff is the only person who listens to Sophie’s fantasies and long cherished dreams. Her father doesn't want to listen to Sophie's stories. Even little Derek – makes fun of her . Her classmate Jansie is ‘nosey’ and can’t be trusted with a secret. Only Geoff can be trusted as he keeps all the secrets of Sophie to himself. He is sympathetic and warns her at times telling her that Casey might have many girls in his life. He doesn't want to break Sophie's heart. So he always listens patiently to 'wild' stories framed by Sophie.   Q. What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status? Ans : Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family. She is an escapist and cherishes wild dreams. She dreams of things she can’t have in real life. Jansie tells her that to open a bou...

Q. What did the British officer's secretary tell the maharaja? Why did the maharaja refuse permission? Ans : The British officer's secretary told the Maharaja that he himself could kill the tiger and then allow his officer to get photographed holding the gun over the dead tiger. The Maharaja was resolute and did not agree to his request because he felt doing so would mean other officers may come with similar demands.   Q. How did the Tiger king meet his end? What is ironic about his fate? Ans : The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram had killed one hundred tigers. The astrologers had predicted that he would be the Champion of Champions but the tiger would be the cause of his death. As soon as he took the reins of his throne, at the age of twenty,he started killing tigers. The astrologer warned him to be careful from the hundredth tiger. In ten years he killed seventy tigers and his native forest became extinct with tigers.   The Maharaja married a royal girl from a state with a larg...

  MAGH BIHU Q. Write a note on Magh bihu and uruka   Ans : Magh bihu and uruka : Magh bihu, the post harvest winter festival seems to have a strong hold on people of lower Assam, not excluding the tribals. A fire ceremony is closely associated with magh bihu, but more significant is uruka, the bihu eve. On this day women folk get ready with chira, pitha, laru, curd etc for the next day. Uruka is not exactly a one day affair, for fuel has to be gathered, fish has to be got from ponds, streams and if possible some meat too. The tribal women prepare rice- beer, usually undistilled. In winter it takes four or five days to get the beer matured.   Another important chore/work is to build temple-like structures in fields. Usually young boys take a hand in this. These structures made with green bamboo, dried leaves and hay look like temples and they are called meji. Hut-like structures are called Bhelaghar. Sometimes the cowherds pass the night in a Bhelaghar warming...

  THE LAST LESSON Q. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day? Ans : Franz was expected to be prepared with rules of participles for school that day.   Q. Who is the writer of 'The Last Lesson' Ans : Alphonse Daudet is the writer of 'The Last Lesson'.   Q. What is the topic on which M. Hamel would question? Ans : M. Hamel would question the rules of participles.   Q. Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling? Ans : The Prussian soldiers were drilling in the open field at the back of the saw mill.   Q. What had surprised the little Franz the most? Ans : The thing that surprised Franz the most was to see the elderly villagers seated on the back benches of the class. Back benches of the class were normally empty. It surprised him as they hardly used to come to attend the class earlier.   Q. Who led Prussia in the Franco- Prussian war? Ans : Prussia was led by Bismarck in the Franco - Prussian war. ...

 THE ROADSIDE STAND Q. What is the childish longing that poet refers to in the poem? Why is it in vain ? Ans : The 'childish' longing that the poet refers to, is the longing of the rural people that one day the 'polished traffic' will stop by the stand to buy the things they display.   Their childish longing is in vain as their hope of earning some city money remains unfulfilled. The traffic does not even notice the things that are displayed in the roadside stands.   Q. Name some of the things that the roadside stands offer for sale. Ans : The rural people who have set the roadside stands want to earn some 'city money'. Wild berries, crook-necked golden squash are some of the things that the roadside stands offer for sale.   Q. Which things irritated the passers by who stopped at the roadside stands? Ans : The passers-by were irritated at the artless paint which had ruined the beautiful landscape. Also, they were irritated at the signs of ...