The Proposal summary in English

The curtain rises with Lomov entering his neighbour Chubukov’s house in neatly dressed up attire.
Chubukov in great curiosity to see him well-dressed and asks him the occasion. Lomov reveals
that he had come for a desire. Chubukov assumes that he must have come to ask for money which
he does not want to return. After knowing that Lomov had come to invite Chubulov’s daughter,
Natalya’s hand in marriage, Chubukov leaves to call Natalya. Lomov is a 35 years old gentleman
who suffers from palpitations and gets upset very easily. He thinks it’s the right age for him to
marry and is happy that he is choosing Natalya. He believes, Natalya is average-looking and an
honest caretaker.

On Natalya’s arrival, Lomov initiates the conversation about the cordial terms of both the families.
While continuing to speak about his land, he somehow mentions Oxen Meadows which earlier
was a disputed property but is now his. Natalya is in the perception that Oxen Medows belong to
her family. Both enter into a heated discussion and act childishly and Chubukov’s entry made it
more heated. They shout and scream while Lomov suffers from extreme palpitation and a numb
foot. They throw Lomov out of the house and continue abusing him. While defaming him,
Chubukov accidentally reveals that he had a wedding proposal for Natalya which surprises
Natalya, and she suddenly regrets sending him out. She tells her father to bring him back and
Chubukov banes himself for being the father of a young daughter.

When Lomov returns, Natalya tries to deviate the topic by talking about shooting. Little later they
enter into a debate on their dogs. Natalya strongly believes that her dog Squeezer is better in
comparison to Lomov’s Guess. They continue arguing when Chubukov enters the scene only to
form things worse again. Everyone gets hyper and Lomov finally falls because of palpitations.
Even then, the cursing continues when suddenly Natalya notices that he’s unconscious. As they
find him unable to drink water, declare him dead. After a while Lomov moves a bit, they give him
some water to drink and Chubukov forcefully hands over Natalya’s hands to him, gives his
blessings. Natalya again keeps convincing him that Squeezer is better than Guess but Lomov,
being adamant refuses to accept this and the quarreling continues.
Conclusion of The Proposal
The drama displays the greed of rich families to marry their children into other wealthy families
with the aim of enhancing their wealth.
The Proposal Extra Long Answer

Question 1. Neighbours must have a cordial relationship that Lomov and Natalaya do not have.
Describe/ Justify/ Explain the first fight between them.

Answer: Neighbours must have a cordial relationship but in the case of Lomov and Natalaya, it
was different. Lomov and Natalaya were rich people. They were wealthy people and had a
competition between them on the subject of wealth. Both were neighbours. Lomov, at a critical
age of thirty-five, thought that he had to marry and found Natalaya not bad looking, an excellent
housekeeper. So he decided to propose to her.

Lomov, in a well-dressed manner, wearing coat and gloves, one evening went to Chubukov’s
house. Chubukov was Natalaya’s father. When he came there and said that he wanted a help,
the help which could only be done by him. Chubukov, for first time suspected that he had come
for asking money. But after a long struggling and shivering, Lomov uncovers his need. He had
come to propose to Natalaya. Chubukov was mistaken and he was filled with extreme joy and
called Natalaya. Lomov asked then, whether Natalaya would agree for it or not. Then,
Chubukov said that, she would be ready to accept it because she was a lovesick cat.

When Natalaya arrived, she actually did not know that Lomov had come to propose to her.
They started talking and when they were talking about land, Lomov stated “Our Oxen
Meadows”. Then Natalaya said, “Our Oxen Meadows”, it is not your Oxen Meadows’, it is
their. Lomov did not agree. But Natalaya initiated a heated argument. By arguing with each
other, they did not solve any problem. They got trapped in a long argument just because of their
lack of tolerance towards each other and their desire to keep their pride. Neighbours must have
a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalaya do not have.

Question 2. Anton Chekov has used humour and exaggeration in the play to comment on
courtship in his times. Illustrate with examples from the lesson, “The Proposal”. Also mention
the values, you think, any healthy relationship requires.
OR

The principle ‘forgive and forget’ helps a lot is maintaining cordial relations with our
neighbours. Do you think Chubukov conveys this message in the play “The Proposal’.

Answer: Lomov and Natalaya meet for a serious purpose , i.e., to talk about marriage that
decides the progress of one’s life as a member of the conventionally established society. But the
purpose of their meeting gets lost on two consecutive occasions because Lomov’s faith in the
values of his society disrupts his approach to the topic of marriage. He learns that the girl and
her father like him, but, instead of proposing to marry her and discussing how their marriage
should be organised, he goes on to talk about properties, relations, family histories, and pets,
draws them into an unnecessary argument, and antagonises both of them.

Finally, Chubukov marries Lomov and Natasha by force before another problem crops up. Thus
the play ends in a comic note, just because the couple gets together with their father to celebrate
their marriage while the dispute over the pets is still continuing. For any healthy relationship
there should be mutual understanding and respect. Quarreling over trivial issues like dog cannot
guarantee longevity of a relationship.

Question 3. Is Natalaya really a lovesick cat as called by her father? If it is so, why does she
quarrel with Lomov?

Answer: Natalaya was a young unmarried girl of twenty five years. She lived in the
neighbourhood of Lomov, a young unmarried man. She was an excellent housekeeper and was
not bad looking. She wanted love in her life. Her father called her a lovesick cat. Lomov said
that she was well educated, but she did not seem to be so.

She was very quarrelsome and abusive by nature. She began a bitter quarrel with Lomov over a
piece of land that had little value. She said that those meadows were not much worth to her but
she could not stand unfairness. But when she learnt that Lomov had come to propose to her, she
forgot all fairness and unfairness.
She began to wail over the lost chance. She forced her father to call him back. But in no time,
she started quarrelling with him again. It was on their dogs. Both claimed their respective dogs
to be of a superior breed.

Question 4. What type of person is Natalaya? Give two examples to show her quarrelsome
nature.

Answer: Natalaya is also rather hypocritical, and she is obstinate and argumentative. When
Natalaya first

enters the room, she greets Lomov with warmth and is very gracious as she permits him to
smoke and compliments him upon his appearance. However, when Lomov speaks of “my
meadows,” she abruptly interrupts and contradicts him. An argument then ensures over who
own what land.

Even when Lomov offers them to her as a gift, she continues to insist upon her ownership of
them in the first place, reigniting the argument until Lomov leaves. When her father finally
reveals to Natalaya that Lomov has actually come to propose marriage; she is infuriated,
blaming her father for causing the neighbour to depart.

Question 5. The principle ‘Forgive and Forget’ helps a lot in maintaining cordial relations with
our neighbours. Do you think the author proves this message in the play “The Proposal”?

Answer: Life is a journey which is often compared to the roller coaster ride. It means life is full
of ifs and buts and ups and down. But the path of life can be smoothened by virtues of our
actions, attitudes and behaviour. And the principle of forgive and forget comes from these
virtues. Letting go of anger and bitterness can work wonders both for our attitude and for our
health.

Anger may spoil anything like poison. One cannot afford to remain wallowing in the marsh of
anger’or sad feelings. Life has to move on and if one wants to get ahead one has to imbibe
“forgive and forget”. Only sensitive and great people can follow this gospel.
In the present play “The Proposal” we find that Lomov visits the house of Chubukov with a
proposal to marry his daughter Natalaya. Chubukov’s joy knows no bound to hear this. But in
course of their common talk, they pick up nonsensical issue and stand fighting and abusing each
other.

Even Natalaya also jumps into the ring of verbal quarrel. When things become normal after the
sudden departure of Lomov, Natalaya comes to know about the proposal, She asks her father to
call Lomov back. When he comes back this time he and Natalaya starts abusing each other and
have heated oral fight over dogs. But in the end, they compromise, they forget their issue and
forgive each other. The proposal changes into marriage. Hence we see that the principle helped
them unite.

Question 6. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov had come for? Is he sincere when
he later says, “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons
for your answer from the play.

Answer: Chubukov has often helped Lomov with money whenever he requested for it. So he
thinks and suspects that Lomov will ask for money. But this time the case is different. He
requests a proposal to get Natalaya’s hand for marriage. Since long, Chubukov wanted match
for his daughter. Finding fact in his favour, Chubukov changes and uses sweet words and
becomes ready for the match.

Question 7. Justify, in brief, the title of the play “The Proposal”.

Answer: The title of the play “The Proposal” is apt. Lomov comes to Chubukov’s house to
propose to his daughter. He talks to Chubukov about his intention and the old man is very
happy to have Lomov as the husband of this ageing daughter. When Natalaya comes and there
begins an argument. It reminds us of a married couple.

The Book that saved the Earth Summary

The plot of the play is in the twentieth century. All the characters of the play are imaginary
characters and have weird names like the mighty Chief Think Tank, Noodle, Captain Omega,
Lieutenant Iota, Sargent Oop, etc. The think tanks who think himself to be the most intelligent
amongst all the Martians to decide to go to earth with his team. He always thinks that because he
had a big head he is the most intelligent and always likes to be praised for that. They want to know
how people of the earth (they call them earthlings) lives. In the next scene, they all were present in
a library full of books. But all of them were unable to understand the place.

Then the mighty Think-Tank tries to show is acumen and tells his crew that the thing is a
sandwich. As the person of the earth eats a lot of so they must have stored them here. Then one of
the crew members Sergeant Oop even eats the corner of a book to confirm the views of Think-
Tank. But he did not like the taste, and they came to the conclusion that this may be something
else than food. After some time Noodle suggests Think-Tank that maybe it is used for
communication with ears. After some time Noodle again suggests Think-Tank that maybe it is for
eye communication. All the crew members started opening and reading the book. It was a rhymes
book of name, Mother Goose. But they are unable to understand the book.

So looking at this Noodle asks the Think-Tank that the chemical department has given them the
vitamin pills to increase intelligence, and they all should take it and then read the sandwiches. As
Oop started reading the book of nursery rhymes they take the literal meaning of rhymes and feel
troubles. The Think Tank called his Martians team and says that they have gathered some
information about earthlings, and they should be postponing the idea of invasion. The Oop read
the rhyme Humpty dumpty, and they all saw the picture of Humpty who looked like Think Tank.
The Think Tank drew an inference that the earthlings have identified him and will kill him soon.
So, he asked his team to run immediately from there and thus a dusted book of rhymes saved us
from Martian invasion.

The moral of the play is that half-fed knowledge is always dangerous.

Long Answer

Question 1. Half knowledge is dangerous. It never helps to achieve success. Discuss how
incomplete knowledge can lead to disaster in reference to the lesson “The Book That Saved the
Earth’.
Answer: It is a fact that incomplete knowledge can lead to disaster. Suppose we sit to work on
a satellite and able to command only half of the instructions. In that case things would fail and
cause disaster. Half knowledge is dangerous and never helps to achieve success. If we are able
to apply knowledge fully to any kind of task, we can have self contentment.

We read in the lesson “The Book That Saved the Earth” that the Martians had to suffer. They
had the mission to invade the earth but due to incomplete knowledge they misinterpreted the
nursery rhyme book.

Question 2. Rushing to conclusion without going into details may lead to chaos and failure.
Elaborate this with reference to the Martian invasion in the chapter ‘ The Book That Saved the
Earth’.

Answer: The Martians were very proud of themselves. Great and mighty Think-Thank
regarded as the ruler of Mars was always caught in self praise. He had a quick mind and wishes
to attack the earth in a great hurry. Martians misinterpreted the signals received from earthlings
book of nursery rhymes and fled away. If they had planned the things decisively things would
have been different. In any kind of situation rash decisions would never give results. It is only
through knowledge, perseverence.

Question 3. It is morally incorrect to invade another country/ planet for one’s own benefit. The
Martians did not understand the value of peaceful coexistence. How did the book of nursery
rhyme save the Earth from the Martian invasion?

Answer: Great and Mighty Think-Tank believed that the Martians were a superior race so they
must invade and put the earth under his generous rulership. He scornfully called the Earth
‘primitive ball of mud’. The Martians did not understand the value of peaceful coexistence and
sent a mission to invade the earth. The crew landed in a library and could not make out what the
books actually were. It was believed – that the books were a sort of communications device.

Think-Tank asked the member to decipher the code of the ‘sandwiches’. The nursery rhymes
were totally misinterpreted and it was believed that the Earthlings had developed an advance
civilization and were planning to invade the Mars. The mission was called off and the Martians
escaped to a remote place to save their lives. Thus the books saved the earth.

Question 4. How do the three nursery rhymes frighten Think-Tank in the play, ‘The Book That
Saved the Earth’?

Answer: The rhyme ‘Mistress Mary, quite contrary makes Think-Tank believe that the
Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. He thinks that they can
grow explosives. The rhyme ‘Hey diddle diddle’, makes him conclude that the Earthlings have
reached a high level of civilization: even their animals have musical culture and know space
techniques.

He fears that at that very moment, the Earthlings might be launching an interplanetary attack of
millions of cows. Oop reads the rhyme. ‘Humpty Dumpty’ and shows him a picture of Humpty
Dumpty. Think-Tank concludes that it is his picture and the Earthlings are planning to invade
Mars.

Question 5. How did one old book of nursery rhymes save the world from a Martian invasion?

Answer: The Martians sent a mission to invade the earth. The crew landed in a library and could
not make out what the books actually were. It was believed that the books were a sort of
communication device. Think-Tank asked the members to decipher the code of the
‘sandwiches’. The nursery rhymes were totally misinterpreted and it was believed that the
Earthlings had developed an advance civilization and mission was called off and the Martians
escaped to a remote place to save their lives. Thus the books saved the Earth.

Question 6. What is Think-Tank’s opinion about the Earth?

Answer: Think-Tank called the Earth a ridiculous little planet and showed his wish to put it
under his generous rulership. The planet Earth was insignificant to him. He believed that the
Martians were the most handsome race. He referred to the people of the Earth as Earthlings and
mocked their tiny heads.
He showed his desire to invade ‘primitive ball of mud’ called Earth before lunch. But after
misinterpreting the book of nursery rhymes he began to believe that the earthlings had
developed a more advanced civilization and were even planning to invade the Mars.

Question 7. Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes.
How does he manage to do that?

Answer: Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank, but at the same time, he very cleverly tries to
correct his mistakes also. Whenever Noodle had to say something contrary to what Think-Tank
said, he would present his thoughts by referring to them as being of no particular importance. In
this way he would correct Think- Tank’s errors without making him feel that he was being
corrected. Noodle appears to be quite an expert in handling these kind of people.

Question 8. Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which is your favorite book
and why? Write a paragraph about that book.

Answer: Books are known to be as man’s best companion. They can make us mentally strong,
improve our vocabulary and enhance the horizon of our knowledge. Books can be our guide and
best friend. I love to read books, especially the ones that have children as their main characters
and the story highlights their psychology and how innocent the children could be.

One such book in Malgudi Days written by a very renowned author R K Narayan. I love this
book because the story revolves around the children. The way child’s psychology has been
depicted in this book is what gives me pleasure while reading this book.

Bholi
Question 1. Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she
was going to a better place than her home?
Answer: Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. She remembered how their old
cow, Lakshmi, had been turned out of the house and sold. When she got a clean dress, was
bathed and her hair was properly done with oil, only then she felt that she was going to a better
place than her home.
Question 2. How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
Answer: Bholi’s teacher played an important role in changing the course of her life. She was
polite and friendly which touched her heart. She encouraged her every time and was
affectionate towards her. The teacher transformed her into a confident person who could read,
write and speak clearly. This gave her the required confidence. Moreover, teacher’s
appreciation and encouragement helped her overcome her own morale.
Question 3. Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to each other in English? If
not, in which language were they speaking? (You can get clues from the names of the persons
and the non-English words used in the story.)
Answer: No the characters in the story do not speak English. Their original language in Hindi.
They use words like Pitaji, Izzat, Tehsildar, etc.
Question 4.
“Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like anyone else.” These words of
encouragement from the teacher highlight that change of social attitude and encouragement can
help a child like Bholi to become confident and face the world bravely. With reference . to the
story ‘Bholi’ write how the social attitude towards Bholi made her an introvert. What should be
done to help such children to face the world bravely?
Answer: Bholi was neglected by her parents on account of her looks and lack of intelligence.
She used to stammer so the other children made fun of her and mimicked her. As a result she
talked very little. It was a daunting task for the teacher to encourage Bholi. The teacher talked
to her affectionately and friendly. She assured her if she put the fear out of her heart and she
would be able to speak like anyone else.
Through the efforts of years Bholi became a transferred personality. She refused to marry a
greedy man who was trying to exploit her father due to her looks. Such children should be
constantly encouraged by the parents, teachers and even by the other relations. They must be
taught to fight back their handicaps rather to accept it as facts.
Question 5.
What social attitudes are presented in the story, ‘Bholi’? How does Bholi’s teacher help her
overcome these barriers?
OR
God created this world but teachers create human beings. How does Bholi’s teacher succeed in
changing the course of her life?
Answer: Bholi was neglected by her parents on account of her looks and lack of intelligence.
She was sent to school as her mother thought her to be a burden and let the teachers at school
worry about her. Ironically, the teachers transformed her life completely. God created this world
but teachers create human beings.
Bholi did not know what exactly a school was and what happened there, in the class when her
teacher asked her name, she stammered and began to cry. She kept her head down throughout
the class. The teacher was very encouraging and friendly to her and this made her gain
confidence to speak.
She started seeing a ray of hope for a new life. After years of gaining education and with the
help of her teacher, Bholi turned into a confident girl. She no longer stammered and could speak
properly. She even had the courage to refuse marrying the lame old man because he was greedy
and asked money from her father to marry her.
Question 6. “Don’t you worry, Pitajil In your old age I will serve you and mother”. Through
this statement the narrator wants to highlight the moral values Bholi imbibed with. Based on the
reading of the lesson, what made Bholi aware of her rights and how did she use them?
Answer: Bholi became an introvert child who lacked confidence. She was neglected and even
made fun of due to her appearance and lack of intelligence. Years of education made her bold
and confident. She got an aim in her life. When she refused to marry greedy Bishamber, her
father became worried. She assured her father not to worry and promised that she would take
care of him and her mother in their old age.
She told that she would teach in the school where she learnt so much. During her education
Bholi’s teacher made her aware of her rights as well as duties. She faced the challenge of
rejecting greedy Bishamber with determination and confidence. Thus she protected her self-
respect and integrity.
Question 7.
Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl free
the challenge posed by Bishamber’s greed?
OR
School education turned Bholi from a dumb cow into a bold girl. How did she save her father
from a huge expense and become his support in his old age?
Answer: Ironically, Bholi was sent to school as her mother believed she was a burden and let
the teachers at the school worry for her. The teacher showed affection and encouraged her to
shed her fear. She was assured by her teacher that she would speak like others one day.
Years of hard work transformed Bholi into a bold and confident young woman. Bishamber
refused to marry Bholi due to her appearance and demanded five thousand rupees. Bholi saw
how her father was humiliated for no reason. She refused to marry a greedy, mean and
contemptible coward. She assured her father that she would serve him and her mother in their
old age. She had a mission in her life; she would spread the light of education in her village.
Write a character sketch of Sulekha / Bholi.
OR “Bholi’s whole personality underwent a complete transformation towards the end of the
story”. Explain.
Answer: Bholi’s real name was Sulekha but she was called Bholi, the simpleton as she was a
backward child. She started speaking only when she turned five but she stammered when she
spoke and as a result she was always mimicked or made fun of by the other children. Therefore,
Bholi talked very little.

Bholi did not know what exactly a school was and what happened there, in the class when her
teacher asked her name, she stammered and began to cry. She kept her head down throughout
the class. The teacher was very encouraging and friendly to her and this made her gain
confidence to speak. She started seeing a ray of hope for a new life.
After years of gaining education and with the help of her teacher, Bholi turned into a confident
girl. She no longer stammered and could speak properly. She even had the courage to refuse
marrying the lame old man because he was greedy and asked money from her father to marry
her. On seeing her father worried about her marriage, she said that he need not worry as she
would teach in the same school where she learnt so much and would take care of him and her
mother in their old age.
Question 8. “Dowry is a negation of the girl’s dignity”. Explain this statement in the light of
the story of ‘Bholi’.
Answer: Initially Bishamber did not demand dowry to get married to Bholi. He was a widower,
having children and of the age of Ramlal. But during the marriage ceremony he happened to see
the face of Bholi. He bargains if he was given five thousand rupees he will marry the girl.
Bholi’s father Ramlal placed his turban at his feet but he refused.
A girl is considered a liability in her own natal home due to prevalence of the custom of dowry
practice. Some parents are unwilling to give higher education to their daughter as they have to
search for ‘ highly educated boy for marriages and a better educated boy will demand more
dowry which creates unnecessary problefn, for parents.
Besides, the boy who receives huge amount of dowry may think of himself as more dignified as
having a higher status, greater prestige and more respectful than the girl. Subsequently the girl
develops inferiority complex. Fortunately, Bholi refuses to marry greedy Bishamber and
decides to serve her parents instead in their old age. ‘
Question 9. How did the teacher encourage Bholi on her first day in school?
OR
On the basis of your understanding of the story, describe the role played by the teacher in the
life of Bholi.
OR
What values did the teacher display in transforming Bholi into a confident girl?
Answer: Bholi was neglected by her parents on account of her looks and lack of intelligence.
She was sent to school as her mother thought her to be a burden and let the teacher at school
worry about her. The teacher in the school asked her to tell her name. She stammered -and
began to cry.
The teacher showed her affection and encouraged her in a friendly manner to put aside her fear.
Bholi somehow told her name. The teacher assured her that she would be able £o speak like
everyone else one day. Bholi was surprised. The teacher asked her to come to school regularly.
Love and encouragement shown by the teacher brought out drastic changes in Bholi’s
personality. Within a few years she became so confident that she refused to marry a greedy
man.
Question 9. ‘Love and encouragement make the impossible possible. Explain this statement on
the basis of the story ‘Bholi’.
Answer: Bholi was sent to school as her mother thought her to be a burden. She was neglected
by her parents as she was not beautiful and lacked intelligence. The teacher in the school asked
her to tell her name. She stammered and began to cry. The teacher showed her affection and
encouraged her in a friendly manner to put aside her fear.
Bholi somehow told her name. Bholi was surprised. The teacher asked her to come to school
regularly. Love and encouragement shown by the teacher brought out drastic changes in Bholi’s
personality. Within a few years she became so confident that she refused to marry a greedy
man.
Question 10. No one is always foolish. Time and circumstances give us intelligence and change
out. personality. Explain with reference to ‘Bholi’.
Answer: Yes, it is quite right that no one is always foolish. Time decides everything. Our
maturity and knowledge depend on our experience. Experience is always based on
circumstances. Time and experiences teach us different things and make life perfect.
With out experience or practical knowledge all bookish knowledge is in vain. It is never used.
There are many such examples in our real life that prove this statement correct. Here I would
like to share my own experience about a very simple doctor.

He started his practice very slow in a poor area. Many famous doctors made fun of him. Time
passed and gradually he became famous in the neighbouring areas. His treatment was not so
costly. Once a very serious accident occurred near his hospital and the people brought the
injured person to a costly hospital.
But his condition was very serious and the doctor refused to admit him. Then that doctor took
the case and tried his best to save him. At last he succeeded. All were surprised to see and listen
to it.
Question 10. Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the
marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Answer: This is a normal practice in India that girls seldom oppose their parent’s choice for a
groom. The upbringing of daughters does a kind of mental conditioning which doesn’t give
them enough courage to rebel against their parent’s wish. Bholi more or less followed the
tradition of being an ideal Indian girl ,and agreed to an unequal match because her mother felt
she was lucky to get a well-to-do groom who owned a big shop, had a house of his own and had
several thousands in the bank. Moreover, he was not asking for any dowry.
Bholi also heard her mother saying that he did not know about her pox-marks and her lack of
sense. If the proposal was not accepted, she might remain unmarried all her life. Later on when
the groom bared his greed to everyone, it repulsed Bholi and she opposed the marriage. Unlike
her sisters, Bholi is educated and has a mind of her own. She is as independent as any other
modern girl of a big city.
On seeing her father pleading and getting humiliated, she decided not to marry him. This tells
us that she loves and respects her parents, has self respect and knows what is right or wrong and
is able to take a wise decision.
Question 11.
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last but one
paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at
that point in the story?
Answer: The word Bholi means a simpleton. Throughout the story she had been a simpleton,
hardly expressing her opinion in any matter. The word Sulekha means the person with beautiful
sense of letters. In this story this word has a larger meaning. It depicts being a literate,
intelligent and mature individual. After her education Bholi has really changed to Sulekha and
her assertion during marriage is her announcement to the world that she is no more a Bholi but
Sulekha.
Question 12. Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social harries by encouraging and
motivating her. How do you think you can contribute towards changing the social attitudes
illustrated in this story?
Answer: Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by motivating and encouraging
her. The same act can be performed by the young generation too. If, we the new generation,
identify the social evils, like corruption, dowry, child marriage, unemployment, poverty, gender
discrimination and decide to fight against them; it will revolutionise the system. Thus, we can
remove all the above-mentioned evils from the society.
Question 13. Should girls be aware of their rights, and assert them? Should girls and boys have
the same rights, duties and privileges? What are some of the ways in which society treats them
differently? When we speak of ‘human rights’, do we differentiate between girls’ and boys’
rights?
Answer: Yes, girls should be aware of their rights and assert them. The girls and boys should
have the same rights. There should not be any gender discrimination. But, even today girls are
deprived of education, nourishment in food in comparison to boys. No doubt that in rural India
there is still a gender bias but the new generation is aware of it. There should be no
differentiation in terms of humans rights between girls’ rights and boys’ rights
The Making Of A Scientist?

What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?

Answer: The author mentions three qualities that go into the making of a scientist—a first-rate
mind, curiosity, and the will to win for the right reasons. Richard Ebright was a very intelligent
student. He was also a champion debater, a public speaker, a good canoeist and an expert
photographer. He always tried to put that extra effort in his work. He was competitive, but for
the right reasons. From the very beginning, he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind;
and it was this curiosity that ultimately led him to his theory about cell life.

The Making of a Scientist Long Answer Type

Question 1. Although Richard does not win anything at the science fair but it was a stepping
stone for his success. With reference to the story ‘The Making of a Scientist’ of the above
statement, give your comments whether competitions are for winning sake or to give your best
at work.

Answer: It is true, no one can deny the fact that every person wants to be a winner. Each has
basic wish to reach ‘ at the top. For that many competitions are organised at various levels. But
still we must accept that all cannot be winners. Participation is more important than winning.
The participant should work hard to reach their level best. Failures should not make us
disheartened and best way to overcome failure is to learn through our mistakes. We cannot deny
that experimentation and learning are stepping stones to our success. So we should try to give
our best.
Question 2. Besides curiosity a number of other values are required to become a successful
scientist. Explain with reference to the chapter, ‘The Making of a Scientist’.

Answer: From very young age Richard Ebright was competitive and put in extra effort with
curiosity for the right reason to win. But his mother was always very dedicated and made his
spirits rise high. He did not lose heart even after losing when he was in seventh grade. To him
people around were very encouraging.

His mother’s encouragement was really an eye-opener. She took him on trips, bought him
telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials and other equipment. Thus constant
support of each other opened a new world. This helps us to conclude that hard work, parental
guidance and keen observation are the qualities which help one to excel.

Question 3. Ebright’s mother played a pivotal role in enabling him to become a successful
scientist. This is true for most of our lives. Our parents help us a lot in our education. Their
guidance is very important in what we become in later life. Based on your reading of the story
how did Ebright’s mother help him in becoming a scientist?

Answer: Parents play a pivotal role in determining not just our behaviour but also our future in
most cases. They are the ones who teach us wrong from right. For most of us, parents are our
role models. Ebright’s mother supported her son in becoming a scientist. She gave him an
intensive training. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras,
mounting materials and other equipments.

She used to keep her son busy. If she found him sitting idle, she would find work for him-not
physical work, but learning things. His mother was very supportive. She wrote to Dr Urquhart
also so that her son could be busy in research activity. She helped her son a lot. She inspired
him to explore new things and instilled a sense of discovery into her child.

Question 4. To participate in the competition is more necessary than to win a prize. Explain this
statement in the light of Ebright’s participation at the country science fair.

Answer: We know very well to win is a human nature. Everyone wants to get a winning place
everywhere. Our life is full of different competitions at different levels. In these, competitions
everyone of us wants to become a winner. But it is always not possible. When we enter any
competition, we feel a great zeal. We try our best to get the top position there. But if we don’t
get or achieve our goal, we feel disappointed.

Great thinkers have said that participation is more important than winning. The same is proved
in Ebright success. Richards Ebright participated in the country science fair, but he lost. There
he showed slides of frog tissues. He realised that he should have done some real experiments to
be a winner. If he did not participate in that competition, the result might have been different.

Question 5. How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian…? Does it simply
involve reading t many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking and doing
experiments?

Answer: Reading books is just one aspect of learning. This is an exercise in information
gathering. It is how your brain processes the information that affects the degree of learning. The
first and the foremost criteria to become a genius in one’s chosen field is to have great curiosity
and unending hunger to discover more, Next criteria is a sense of closely observing the things,
which further helps you to correlate your findings with what you see or experience in the real
world. Experiments are must to test your findings against possible variables and in real life
situations. And last but not the least, it is an urge, a strong desire to work really hard on your
area of interest.

Question 6. You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard
Ebright’s work in light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard
Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work on and why?

Answer: Ebright’s work is directly related to Biology. Discovery of a cell’s structure has helped
the scientific community ! to understand how the organisms function and grow. This has also
helped other scientists to discover how disease causing organisms attack us and grow inside
our; body. DNA fingerprints help police to pinpoint to the real culprit. This could not have been
possible until DNA was discovered. Monarch I butterflies present an amazing example of a tiny
creature migrating thousands of miles from North America to the rainforests of Amazon. Some
day we can be in a position to develop as a sturdy and reliable navigation system as that of the
Monarch butterflies.

Amanda: Why does Amanda imagine to be (i) a Mermaid (ii) an orphan, and (iii) Rapunzel,

What does it show about her?

Answer: (i) Amanda imagines herself to be a mermaid so that she may drift in the silent sea and
enjoy the loneliness and peace there. She yearns for freedom.

(ii) She wishes to be an orphan so that she may play bare feet in the dust without receiving
several instructions or scolding. She wishes for her independence and freedom.

(iii) Amanda is fascinated by the lonely and tranquil life of Rapunzel in a closed tower. She
wishes for such a life so that her nagging mother may not reach there. Here also, she yearns for
her freedom from nagging.

Question 2: “Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!”

Amanda’s parents were over anxious about her. She often found their instructions very stifling.
Reading the poem and based on Amanda’s experience, write a paragraph on the topic “Should
parents be allowed to control children?”

Answer: It goes without saying that no child can survive the early years of its life without the
care and protection of its parents. But some parents are so over protective and over anxious
about their children that they don’t let their children live in peace. They don’t allow them to
explore and find out things on their own. Such parents kill the child’s initiative in learning.
These parents always boss around and irritate their children.

They don’t trust their child’s capability to do things independently. However, the parents may
control the children and guide them as long as it is necessary. Equipped with knowledge and
confidence they will be able to face the world boldly. Gradually the child should be allowed to
grow on its own and be responsible for its actions. When parents give freedom to their children
they gain confidence and learn to do things in a better way.

Question 3. If it fact that every person including a young child has his/her own individuality and
personality. It is not necessary that the child will see the world according to the direction of
his/her parents. Based on the reading the poem “Amanda” write a paragraph on: Should
children be given freedom”.

Answer: Growing up is a phase which requires a lot of space. A single child in his teens would
feel more claustrophobic than four kids in the same family. The reason being parents of a single
child tend to be more protective and possessive. What they fail to understand is that without
sufficient space to grow the child will only end up disliking his/her parents. Freedom is
necessary in any relationship.

A child should be allowed to choose his hobbies, to learn what he pleases, to play with kids of
his age. In the present times, where nothing is safe and none can be trusted, jJarents are only
dissuaded from sending their kids out to play. It is only through these activities can a child learn
to socialize and understand values. Therefore, parents should give enough freedom for the child
to grow but also make sure that the child is not led away by material needs.

Question 4. Childhood blooms and bounces with the wind of innocence and fanciful fantasy.
Any kind of outside or forceful restriction is completely unbearable to a child. If he is nagged or
scolded, he may feel alienated and withdrawn. But nagging is not a good option. In the context
of the poem “Amanda”, write a paragraph on “effects of parental nagging”.

Answer: Nagging is never a good option. Parents have a tendency to nag their children,
especially regarding their studies. But nagging never helps. When a parent keeps on ranting to
the child to study, the child will only grow averse to studying. It will create resentment between
the child and the parent.

After a while a point will be reached where the child will simply stop listening to the parent. It
also makes the child feel controlled. Parents keep repeating what is to be done, how it is to be
done, etc. over and over again, always supervising. This will create stress for the child and
make him/her uncomfortable. Hence, parents should indulge in looking at the brighter side and
praise their kids’ accomplishments and avoid pointing out the weaknesses.

Question 5. It is said that excess of everything is bad. Excess of parental love may make a cjiild
pampered , in the same way excess of nagging may throw a child into negativity. These
statements are seen justified to some extent in the poem ‘Amanda’. Explain.

Answer: None can refute the pious role of parents or elders or teachers in the proper grooming
and holistic development of a child. Parent’s personality resonates and reflects through the
behaviours and personality of a child. Parents do every possible thing, they can do, to shape the
character and habits of their child. But sometimes, in course of nurturing the kid, the parents
cross the limits unknowingly.

They became either overcaring or over protective or over anxious. They forget the fact that,
when a matured mind cannot tolerate excess of do’s and don’ts, how can they expect it from a
child who is totally unaware of the worries and cares of the world. To a child the world means a
world of imagination fancy and fairy.

If being nagged repeatedly she may form negative opinions about his/her mother and father.
The same thing we find in the poem ‘Amanda’. Amanda is a girl of around 8-11 year of age
who lives in her own fairy land. She does not appreciate the constant scolding or nagging of her
father/mother.

She feels that her freedom is punctuated. So, she instead of following the instructions, remains
wandering in her own world of imagination. Excess of nagging has resulted into negativity as
Amanda considers herself orphan. She sulks. She avoids eye to eye contact. Hence, parents
must understand the line of boundary and act.

For Anne Gregory Summary

William Butler Yeats wrote many love poems. For Anne Gregory’ is one of the best and beautiful
poems by him. This poem is in the form of a conversation between a speaker, who may be the poet
himself, or Anne’s lover or friend and maybe Anne Gregory herself. The other speakers may be in
the belief that the young man loves Anne for her external beauty. But here the speaker (maybe
Anne Gregory) says that external beauty is not the real, and therefore young man should love her
for herself only.

In this poem, the poet is presenting the description of a lover’s love for a woman. The lover may
like the yellow colour of the woman’s hair. But he does not like her ramparts, means here the hair
around the ear. So, the lady does not approve of his love. She wishes such a lover who loves her
based on her internal qualities and not by the external and physical look. She says that her yellow
hair is a temporary entity. Therefore, she may dye them into another colour like brown or black or
carrot soon. And hence in this way, she may get her true love due to her internal beauty.

Then the poet says that only God loves we all humans on the bases of our soul and internal
qualities and but our body and physical features. Undoubtedly, only selfless love is true, and God
only gives true love.

Poet is of the view that most people love others only because they attract them by physical
qualities. Thus, the complexion of the skin and the colour of the hair may be more important for us
than the ‘real’ worth of the person. It means we rarely love people ‘for themselves alone’.

Even the beautiful Anne Gregory does not want to be liked or loved for her external beauty or her
rare qualities of her beautiful yellow hair. Shallow minded people only adore physical beauty. But
rather we should look for spiritual beauty before falling in love with a lady. Physical beauty is just
an illusion and momentary. Unfortunately, most of the people are merely attracted by the colour of
the skin and hair.

Conclusion of For Anne Gregory

God never loves us for our looks and external beauty, but only for our inner beauty

The poet in the poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ conveys that We should give importance to the inner
beauty and not to the physical appearance. Explain with reference to the poem.
Answer:
It is an accepted fact that external beauty is shortlived’but inner beauty remains forever. Inner
beauty gives satisfaction and joy. We should thus learn not to accept things at their face value.
We should try to. discover the inner beauty and strength of a person, though it is not easy to do
so. We should accept the person with positive and negative values.

As the time passes relations are strengthened. In the poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ the beloved
wants that her lover should love her for herself not the colour of the hair. She wants to
strengthen this fact that inner beauty is more important than external beauty.

Question 2. Write a paragraph on the topic “All that Glitters is not Gold”. With reference to the
poem “For Anne Gregory” written by W. B. Yeats.
Answer: What we see through the naked eye might not always be the naked truth. Like shining
pieces of glass that shine and glitter like diamonds, the way people appear on the outside can be
very misleading. We must never judge a book by its cover as there is a possibility that we might
be wrong.

Appearances should never be trusted. It can lead us to wrong conclusions. A person may be
very handsome or beautiful outside but inside if the character is not good that person’s
appearance is of no value. So always try to look beneath the skin because beauty is skin deep.
The real beauty lies in the personality of the person, not in external appearances.

Question 3. What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear?”
Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them? ”
Answer:
The “great honey-colored / Ramparts at your ear” refers’to the beautiful yellow coloured hair
that falls at the woman’s ear and cover it like a wall around a fort. He says that the young men
are “thrown into despair” by them because they look so beautiful on the women that her beauty
gets thoroughly enhanced. The young men fall in love with her and feel despair. He says that it
is not possible that someone would love her alone and not her yellow hair.

Question 4. What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to?
Why would she want to do so?
Answer: The young woman’s hair is of yellow colour. She says that she could get her hair dyed
to brown, black or carrot colour. She would change the colour of her hair so that the young men
in despair would love her only and not her yellow hair. She wanted them to love her for what
she was and not for her appearance such as her hair colour.

Question 5. Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some
objects (a car, a phone, a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than
another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Answer: Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. There are many factors
that make them desirable such as their usefulness, utility, disability, their price and appearance.

Sermon at Benares

1.” The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain. With
this statement of the Buddha find out the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the
house and was unable to get wanted the mustard seeds. table: grief death of her child.

Answer: Kisa Gotami lost her only son. In her neighbours, asking them to provide medicine for
her son. A man suggested her to Buddha. Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds
but she should get it the house where no one had lost any near and dear one. But she could not
get any such Of Kisa Gotami went from door to door requesting mustard seeds. People pitied
her Do is troubled.

Only then Buddha made her understand that the life of mortals in this world and grief and
combined with pain. Now Kisa understood the reality too realized the fate of men that their
lives flick e reality of death. Her underskirts that death is common to all of us. Now she l’ up
and extinguish again.

2. “The world is afflicted with death eaters and d the Buddha. Expand this thought
revising Kisa Gotami’s experience when she a5,” Buddha for a solution.
Answer: When Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha for the medicine to revive her a Buddha told
her to procure a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one and gave her the seeds.
She then asked them if anyone in the family had died, and they answered that many were dead
in the house and it aggrieved them to remember those dead people. She became weary and
hopeless after going to several houses and getting the same response.

As she sat wearily she saw the city lights go out, and darkness reigned everywhere. She finally
grasped the Buddha’s underlying meaning. She returned to the Buddha and narrated her
experience. Thereafter the Buddha sermonized her that the life of mortals in this world is
troubled and painful; that the world is afflicted with death and decay, and so there is no point in
grieving over something which is inescapable.

3. Why did Kisa Gotami understand the message given by the Buddha only the second
time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?

Answer: Kisa Gotami had lost her only son and in grief, she carried her dead son to all her
neighbours to get him cured and restored back to life. Finally, she went to the Buddha asking
him for the medicine to cure her boy. The Buddha felt that she needed to be enlightened about
the truth of life — that death and sorrow are inescapable. He could see that grief had blinded
her, and it would be difficult for her to accept the truth.

So the Buddha told her to procure mustard seeds from a house where none had died. Kisa
Gotami went from door to door. Then she realized that there was no house where no one had
died and that death is common to all. She came back to the Buddha where He sermonized her
that life in this world is troubled and filled with sorrows. He gave her examples of ripe fruits
and earthen vessels whose ‘lives’ are short. This way he made her realize that death is
unavoidable and none —even the near and dear ones — can save anyone from death.

4. The Buddha said, “The world is affected by death and decay, therefore the wise men do
not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.” Do you think the statement is appropriate
even for today’s life? Write your views in the context of the above statement.
Answer: The above-said statement holds true concerning today’s life as well. Buddha said that
death is common to all mortals. Those who are born must die one day. Death is certain, can’t be
avoided. As ripe fruits fall off the trees, so is the life of mortals. Life of a man is like an earthen
pot that breaks and meets its end. No amount of weeping and lamenting can bring the dead back
to life. So, wise men don’t grieve. They understand that it is the law of the world. Weeping and
lamenting produce no gains. It rather spoils one’s health and gives more pain.

If only you take out the arrow of lamentation and get composed, you will get peace of mind. To
overcome sorrow, become free of sorrow. But in today’s world, man has forgotten this. He
makes all kinds of efforts to provide himself with the comforts and earns money by all means
whether wrong or right. He forgets that one day he has to die and everything will be left here
only.

5. How did Buddha make Kisa Gotami realize about the reality of death?
Or
How did Gautama Buddha teach Gotami that life is full of pains and sorrows and death
comes to all?
Or
Why does Kisa feel disappointed after going from door to door?

Answer: Kisa Gotami had only one son and he had died. In her greet fobs he occults reroof
ended riser senses. all her neighbours asking them for medicine. She has thought the man
suggested her to go to the Buddha. Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha and prayed 0hhaM on how
to revive her son. The Buddha told her to procure a handful of mustard seeds from us. Here no
one had olestra child, husband, parent or friend. Kisa Gotami went from door pitied her and
offered her the seeds. But when she asked them if anyone had died in the family they could only
answer that they had lost many and they did not want to that death of their deepest grief. Kisa
Gotami became weary and hopeless and realized oath is common to all.

6. How did Buddha seek and achieve enlightenment?

7. Through the story of Kisa Gotami, what did the Buddha try to preach to the common
man?

Answer: Buddha said that death is common to all mortals. Those who are born must die one
day. You cannot avoid it. Death is certain. He taught this, through the story of Kisa Gotami,
Kisa was a common woman whose son had died. She could not believe it and carried her son to
neighbours requesting them to give her medicine to cure him. People thought that she was not
in her senses. She approached Buddha. He asked her to procure a handful of mustard seeds but
he put a condition that they should be procured from a house where no death has ever taken
place. Kisa could not find such a house. She, sad and depressed, sat on the sideways and
watched city lights that flickered and extinguished. It made her realize that human lives flicker
and extinguish as well and that death is an unavoidable phenomenon. She thought herself to be
selfish for thinking only about her grief.

8. What did Buddha say about death and suffering? Explain by giving examples from the
text.
Or
“‘lb seek peace one should draw out the arrow of lamentation.” What do you infer from
the Buddha’s statement?

Answer: Buddha said that death is common to all mortals. Those who are born must die one
day. You cannot avoid it. Death is certain. As ripe fruits fall off the trees and meet an end so do
the lives of the mortals. Life of a man is like an earthen pot that breaks and meets its end. No
amount of weeping and lamenting can bring the dead back to life. So, wise men don’t grieve.
They understand that it is the law of nature. Also, weeping and lamenting bring no gains. It
rather spoils one’s health and gives more pain. If only you take out the arrow of lamentation and
get composed you will get peace of mind. lb overcome sorrow, become free of sorrow.

9. What impression do you form of Lord Buddha after reading the lesson, “The Ser at
Benares”?

Answer: Buddha was born in North India as a prince named Siddhartha. Once he went out
hunting. On the way, he saw a sick man, an old man, funeral procession and a bear monk. He
was overcome with grief. He renounced all pleasures and luxuries offered royalty and went out
into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he witnessed. After attaining
enlightenment, he gave his first sermon at Benares. It reflects wisdom on ‘suffering’. He said
the life of man is short, full of troubles and pain. Man is ripe fruit, the fruit falls and the man
dies. Lag at ace of mind, one must overcome so death and pain and draw out the arrow of
lamentation. Buddha was a wise man to make people understand the difficult concept of
suffering and death.

10. Who was Gautama Buddha? What made him renounce his royal life and become a
monk?

Answer: Gautama Buddha was born in 563 B.C. He was born in a royal family. His name was
Siddhartha Gautama. At the age of twelve, he was sent away for schooling. He studied all the
sacred Hindu scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he married a princess. They had a son. For ten
years the couple passed a happy life. Siddhartha had been shielded from the sufferings of the
world.

However, when he was twenty-five, Siddhartha saw a sick man, then an aged man, then a
funeral procession. Finally, he came across a monk begging for alms. This was his first
encounter with the harsh realities of life. These sights made him so sad that he decided to
renounce the worldly pleasures. He left his family and became a monk. He went out into the
world to seek spiritual knowledge.

11. Why did Siddhartha conic to be called the Buddha? Where did he give his first
sermon?

Answer: Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years in search of wisdom and truth. Finally,
he sat down under a big people tree to meditate. He vowed to stay there until he got
enlightenment. After seven days, Gautama got enlightenment. He named the tree as the ‘Bodhi
Tree’. , that is ‘The tree of wisdom.’ He became known as ‘the Buddha’ which means
‘enlightened’ or ‘the awakened’. He began to teach and to spread his message of wisdom and
truth. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares. It is the holiest of places on the hank of the
Ganges. His first sermon reflects his wisdom about one kind of suffering i.e. death. Here the
Buddha tells about the universality of death which is inevitable and can’t be escaped.

12. How did the Buddha made Kisa Gotami realize that death is inevitable?
or
Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to house? In what way did the Buddha change her
under. standing?

Answer: A lady named Kisa Gotami had only one son. One day, her son died. She wanted her
child should become alive again. She wanted some medicine to bring her son to life. People
called her mad. At last, she came across a man. He advised her to meet the Buddha. She
approached the Buddha with a request to give her medicine so that her only son could be live
again.

After deep thought, the Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard-seed. But there was a
condition. She must bring it from a house where no one had died Kisa Gotami went from door
to door to get the mustard-seed. She found mustard-seed in every home but she could not find a
house where nobody had ever died. By evening, she was sad and tired. She saw the lights of the
city. They were trimming. Soon there was the darkness of the night. Now she considered the
fate of man. Now she realised that death is inevitable. No one can escape it.

13. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautama become the Buddha.

Answer: Gautama Buddha began his life as a royal prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautama.
At twelve, Gautama was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures. At the age of
sixteen, he returned home to marry a princess. The prince was deliberately shielded from all
sufferings of the world. But this attempt failed when the prince while out hunting chanced upon
a sick man. Then, he saw an aged man. He also chanced to see a funeral procession.

Finally, he saw a monk, begging for alms. These sights of suffering, sickness and decay
shocked and moved the prince. He wanted to seek the final solution of all these sorrows and
sufferings. He wandered for seven Years in search of enlightenment. Finally, he sat down under
a fig tree. He meditated there until he was enlightened after seven days. He renamed the tree the
Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Wisdom. He became known as the Buddha or the Awakened or the
Enlightened one. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares on the River Ganges.

14. Why did Kisa Gotami go to every neighbour? Why did she say, ‘How selfish I am in
my grief?’

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s only son had died. Naturally, she was filled with grief. She carried the
dead child to all her neighbours. She asked them for medicine. The people thought that she had
lost her senses in grief. She was demanding medicine for her dead son.

Only after meeting the Buddha, she followed his instructions. She couldn’t get a handful of
mustard seeds not even from one family. There was no family where no one had lost a child,
husband, parent or friend. Only then she realised what the Buddha wanted her to understand.
She realised that she was very selfish in her grief. She was grieving for her dead child. She
forgot that death spares none. She realised that no lamentation or grieving can bring a dead
person back to life again.
15. What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to do? Why couldn’t Kisa Gotami succeed in
getting a handful of mustard seeds from any family?

Answer: Kisa Gotami couldn’t get any consolation and cure from her neighbours. They realised
that grief had made her almost mad. One of them directed her to the Buddha. He thought only
the Sakyamum, the Buddha was the most appropriate physician to cure her son. The Buddha
wanted the grieving woman to learn a lesson.

So, he asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a family. The mustard-seed must be
taken from a house where no one had lost a child, a husband or a friend. Poor Gotami went
from house to house begging for a handful of mustard seeds. The people pitied her. They were
ready to give a handful of mustard seeds to her. In short, there was no house where some
beloved one had not died in it. So, Kisa Gotami didn’t succeed in her mission. She only realised
that she had been selfish in grief.

16. Describe the main teachings of the Buddha as highlighted in The Sermon at Benares.’

Answer: Before the age of twenty-five, Siddhartha Gautam was carefully shielded from the
sufferings of the world. When he saw a sick man, an aged man and a funeral procession for the
first time, he was moved and shocked at the sights. He gave up his royal luxuries and went out
in search of the permanent solution of all those sufferings and sorrows. After a long meditation,
he got the enlightenment. At that time, he became known as the Buddha or the Awakened one.
He gave his first sermon at Benares.

Through Kisa Gotami, the Buddha wanted to tell the world that death is the ultimate truth. All
mortals are destined to die sooner or later. There is no family in a world where no one has lost a
child, husband, parent or friend. Lamenting for a son or a parent is like showing selfishness in
grief. No lamentation or grieving can bring a dead man back to life. This world is afflicted with
death and decay. He who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow. He will be the
blessed one.
17. What does the Buddha say about the life of mortals in this world? How can one obtain
the peace of mind?

Answer: The Buddha preached his first sermon at Benares. He preached that all men, women
and children are mortals. And, all mortals are destined to die. Actually, death and decay is the
fate of all mortals in this world. Death spares none. The life of mortals in this world is troubled
and brief. It is combined with pain. Those who have been born, can’t avoid dying.

Actually, there is no means of avoiding death and decay. The ripe fruits fall, so do the aged
people of the world. One by one the mortals is carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter.
Therefore, the wise do not grieve. No amount of lamenting or grieving can bring a dead man
back to life. Weeping and grieving will never give anyone the peace of mind. On the other
hand, they only compound miseries. He who has overcome all sorrows will become free from
sorrows. He will become a blessed one.

Question 4.
How did Buddha make Kisa Gotami understand about the reality of death?
OR
What lesson on death and suffering did the Buddha teach Gotami in the chapter. The Sermon at
Benaras’.
Answer:
Kisa Gotami’s only son had died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbours,
asking them for medicine. Then a man suggested her to go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Kisa
Gotami requested Gautama Buddha to give her the medicine that would cure her son.

The Buddha replied that he wanted a handful of mustard-seed which must be taken from a
house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend. Kisa Gotami went from house to
house. People pitied her but she could not find any house where near and dear one had not died.
She thought how selfish she had been in her grief. She realised that death is common to all
human beings.
Question 5.
“The World is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the.
terms of the world”. Explain with reference to the story “The Sermon at Benares”.
Answer:
According to Gautama Buddha, the world is affected by sufferings, disease or pain, death and
decay. Therefore, the wise persons do not mourn, knowing the terms of the world. Nobody can
get peace of mind from weeping or mourning. Rather his pain will be greater and his body will
suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead cannot be saved from his expression of
sorrow. He who seeks peace should “draw out the arrow” of lamentation, complaint and grief.
In this manner, she who has become composed will obtain peace of mind. He who has
overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and be blessed.

Question 6.
In ‘The Sermon at Benares’, the Buddha preached that death is inevitable and we need to
overcome the suffering and pain that follows. Discuss.
Answer:
It is very painful to lose someone or something we love. When we lose someone it is a great
emotional suffering. The more we grieve over death, the more painful it will be for us. Death is
always unwelcome. We must realize that we are all mortals and death is common to all. We
may lament and cry but we cannot bring dead back to life. All the riches of the world cannot
bring life back. We must realize that death is common to all rich or poor. Those who have
overcome sorrow will become free from sorrow and are blessed.