“… but after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon…”

Question: “… but after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon…”

Q. Who is ‘her’ here? Why does the poet look at her again?

Answer: ‘Her’ is the poetess Kamala Das’ sixty-six-year-old mother. The poetess looked at her again for the last time to reassure herself that her mother is well. She drove away from her thoughts of pain and fear which had surfaced on seeing her mother. It was a look of reassurance to meet her again.

Q. Explain ‘pale as a late winter’s moon.’

Answer: This is an example of a simile. The poet has compared her mother’s face to a winter’s moon. Winter symbolises death and a waning moon symbolises decay. Just like winter loses its magnificence and beauty when covered with fog and mist, similarly, the poet’s mother has lost her youth and vitality and has become inactive and withered.

Q. Why did the poet promise her mother of a meeting in the near future?

Answer: The poet was doubtful of seeing her mother again. She knew that the mother was also aware of the same. Yet, to encourage her mother, to leave hope in her mind, to make herself strong, the poet promised a futile reunion in the future.

Q. The poet’s repeated smile seems out of the place in a way. In which way is that appropriate?

Answer: The poet had no reason to smile at the time of separation from her aged mother. She was deeply distressed and pained to separate from her mother when she was so old. Yet, to make the mother feel ‘there is nothing to worry,’ the poet attempted to be glad, cheerful and reassured by her extended smile.

More Question-

1. Write a character sketch of Franz
2. How does M. Hamel prove to be an ideal teacher?
3. How can you estimate M. Hamel as a man with a ruler and as a man with a gesture?
4. What is ‘linguistic chauvinism’? Analyse the order from Berlin in this light. How do you justify M. Hamel’s views about French and the newfound love of the people towards their language?
5. In the lesson ‘Lost Spring’, Saheb and Mukesh are deprived of their childhood pleasures and education. Noble Peace prize winners Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai
6. Describe the circumstances which keep the workers in the bangle industry in poverty. [CBSE Delhi 2015]
7. Describe the difficulties the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives
8. ‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/Why not? [CBSE (AI) 2011]
9. Give a brief account of the life and activities of people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri. [CBSE Delhi 2011]
10. The bangle makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles and make everyone happy but they live and die in squalor. Elaborate. [CBSE Delhi 2010]
11. The barefoot ragpickers of Seemapuri live on the periphery of Delhi yet, metaphorically speaking, miles away from it. Comment. [CBSE (AI) 2009C, CBSE (F) 2013]
12. How is Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb? Why? [CBSE Delhi 2015]
13. How is Mukesh more ambitious in life than Saheb? Give a reasoned answer. [CBSE (F) 2013]
14. Grinding poverty and tradition condemn the children of ragpickers or bangle makers to a life of exploitation. Such children are deprived of all opportunities in life. Mukesh
15. A big boy pushed Douglas into the deep end of the swimming pool which could have led to his death. Concerns regarding bullying and ragging persist in many teenage groups. Quoting examples from the text, discuss the problem of bullying and its effects on the victims. Also, suggest ways to deal with this problem. [CBSE Sample Paper 2015]
16. Fear is mankind’s greatest handicap. Do you agree? Give reasons in support of your views
17. ‘Practice makes a man perfect. Douglas tried hard to reach the level of perfection through perseverance. Comment.
18. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water [CBSE Delhi 2012]
19. How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the YMCA pool? [CBSE Delhi 2012]
20. How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer? [CBSE (AI) 2012, 2013]
21. How did the misadventure in the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas? What efforts did he make to conquer his old terror? [CBSE (F) 2013]
22. “…there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.” When did Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality? [CBSE (AI) 2010]
23. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home? [CBSE (AI) 2016]
24. Why did the Crofter show the thirty kroner to the peddler? [CBSE (AI) 2016]
25. What do we learn about the crofter’s nature from the story, ‘The Rattrap’? [CBSE (AI) 2016]
26. What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter? [CBSE Delhi 2016]
27. Why was the peddler amused at the idea of the world being a rattrap? [CBSE Delhi 2016]