Chapter 6: My Childhood Additional Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Where was A.P.J. Abdul Kalam born?
a. Kerala
b. Karnataka
c. Madras State
d. Andhra Pradesh
2. What was the name of Abdul Kalam's father?
a. Jallaluddin
b. Samsuddin
c. Jainulabdeen
d. Lakshmana Sastry
3. In which year did the Second World War break out?
a. 1939
b. 1914
c. 1945
d. 1942
4. Which seeds saw a sudden demand in the market during the war?
a. Mango seeds
b. Tamarind seeds
c. Sesame seeds
d. Cotton seeds
5. How much money did Abdul Kalam earn per day by selling seeds?
a. One rupee
b. Two annas
c. One anna
d. Ten paise
6. Who used to tell Abdul Kalam stories about the War?
a. His father
b. His mother
c. Sivasubramania Iyer
d. Jallaluddin
7. What was the name of the newspaper Kalam tried to trace war headlines in?
a. The Hindu
b. Dinamani
c. Indian Express
d. Madras Times
8. Who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram?
a. Jainulabdeen
b. Jallaluddin
c. Samsuddin
d. Aravindan
9. What characteristic did Kalam inherit from his father?
a. Faith in goodness
b. Honesty and self-discipline
c. Deep kindness
d. Generosity
10. Who was the high priest of the Rameswaram temple?
a. Sivasubramania Iyer
b. Jainulabdeen
c. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry
d. Ramanadha Sastry
11. Which of Kalam's friends went into the business of arranging transport for pilgrims?
a. Ramanadha Sastry
b. Aravindan
c. Sivaprakasan
d. Samsuddin
12. What did Sivaprakasan become when he grew up?
a. A catering contractor for the Southern Railways
b. A priest at the Rameswaram temple
c. A newspaper distributor
d. A science teacher
13. Where did Kalam sit in his class before the new teacher arrived?
a. On the back bench
b. In the middle row
c. In the front row next to Ramanadha Sastry
d. Outside the classroom
14. What marked Kalam as a Muslim in his school days?
a. His clothes
b. The cap he wore
c. His bag
d. The language he spoke
15. Who told the new teacher not to spread communal intolerance?
a. Kalam's father
b. Sivasubramania Iyer
c. Lakshmana Sastry
d. The headmaster
16. Who was Kalam's science teacher?
a. Jallaluddin
b. Lakshmana Sastry
c. Sivasubramania Iyer
d. Samsuddin
17. How did Sivasubramania Iyer's wife initially react when Kalam was invited for a meal?
a. She was very happy
b. She served him immediately
c. She refused to serve him in her kitchen
d. She left the house
18. Where did Kalam want to go to study after the war ended?
a. Madras
b. Ramanathapuram
c. Rameswaram
d. Delhi
19. Whose words did Kalam's father quote to his hesitant mother?
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b. Sivasubramania Iyer
c. Rabindranath Tagore
d. Khalil Gibran
20. What topic was Sivasubramania Iyer teaching that changed Kalam's destiny?
a. How boats float
b. How birds fly
c. How engines work
d. How the solar system works
MCQ Answers:
1. c
2. c
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. d
7. b
8. c
9. b
10. c
11. b
12. a
13. c
14. b
15. c
16. c
17. c
18. b
19. d
20. b
Assertion and Reason Questions
1. Assertion (A): Abdul Kalam's family fed many outsiders every day.
Reason (R): His mother, Ashiamma, was a very generous lady.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
2. Assertion (A): Kalam earned the princely sum of one anna daily during the war.
Reason (R): He used to collect tamarind seeds and sell them to a provision shop.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
3. Assertion (A): The moving train halt at Rameswaram station was suspended.
Reason (R): India was forced to join the Allied Forces and a state of emergency was declared.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
4. Assertion (A): The new teacher asked Abdul Kalam to sit on the back bench.
Reason (R): The teacher wanted to test Kalam's eyesight from a distance.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
5. Assertion (A): Lakshmana Sastry summoned the new teacher and demanded an apology.
Reason (R): The teacher had separated Kalam and Ramanadha Sastry based on religious differences.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
6. Assertion (A): Sivasubramania Iyer was deeply orthodox and strictly followed segregation.
Reason (R): He refused to eat with Abdul Kalam in his house.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
7. Assertion (A): Sivasubramania Iyer's wife served Kalam food with her own hands during his second visit.
Reason (R): Her husband had divorced her for her previous behavior.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
8. Assertion (A): After the Second World War, the whole country was filled with optimism.
Reason (R): Gandhiji declared that Indians will build their own India.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
9. Assertion (A): Kalam's father did not allow him to leave Rameswaram.
Reason (R): His mother was very sick and needed him at home.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
10. Assertion (A): Sivasubramania Iyer took his class to the Rameswaram shore.
Reason (R): He wanted to give them a practical example of how birds fly.
(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false but reason is true.
(e) Both Assertion and Reason are false.
Assertion and Reason Answers with explanations:
1. a
Explanation: Ashiamma was very generous, and as a result, she fed far more outsiders than the members of their own family.
2. a
Explanation: The demand for tamarind seeds allowed Kalam to collect and sell them, earning him the sum of one anna a day.
3. a
Explanation: The state of emergency during the war forced India into the Allied Forces, causing the first casualty which was the suspension of the train halt at Rameswaram.
4. c
Explanation: The teacher moved Kalam to the back bench because he could not tolerate a Muslim boy sitting beside a Hindu priest's son, not because of eyesight.
5. a
Explanation: Lakshmana Sastry was angry that the teacher was spreading the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance among innocent children.
6. e
Explanation: Sivasubramania Iyer was an orthodox Brahmin but acted as a rebel who tried to break social barriers, and he happily ate with Kalam.
7. c
Explanation: The assertion is true as she served him during the second visit, but the reason is false; she naturally changed her attitude after observing Kalam and her husband's teachings, she was not divorced.
8. a
Explanation: India's freedom was imminent and Gandhiji's declaration that Indians would build their own India filled the country with unprecedented optimism.
9. e
Explanation: Kalam's father easily permitted him to leave for Ramanathapuram to grow, quoting Khalil Gibran to convince Kalam's hesitant mother.
10. a
Explanation: When the students didn't understand the blackboard drawing, the teacher took them to the shore to show them a live practical example of birds flying.
Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark)
1. Where was Abdul Kalam's house located?
Answer: His house was located on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
2. What was the name of Kalam's mother?
Answer: His mother's name was Ashiamma.
3. What did Kalam collect and sell during the Second World War?
Answer: He collected and sold tamarind seeds.
4. Who used to tell Kalam stories about the war?
Answer: His brother-in-law Jallaluddin used to tell him stories about the war.
5. Name the newspaper distributed by Samsuddin.
Answer: The newspaper's name was Dinamani.
6. Who was the high priest of the Rameswaram temple?
Answer: Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the high priest of the Rameswaram temple.
7. What did Kalam wear that marked him as a Muslim?
Answer: He wore a cap which marked him as a Muslim.
8. Who was Kalam's science teacher?
Answer: His science teacher was Sivasubramania Iyer.
9. Where did Kalam want to go for higher studies after leaving Rameswaram?
Answer: He wanted to study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram.
10. What lesson did Sivasubramania Iyer teach on the blackboard?
Answer: He taught the students how birds fly.
Short Answer Type Questions (2 Marks)
1. How does the author describe his ancestral house?
Answer: The author describes his ancestral house as a fairly large pucca house built in the middle of the nineteenth century. It was made of limestone and brick, located on Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
2. What characteristics did Abdul Kalam inherit from his parents?
Answer: Abdul Kalam inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father. From his mother, he inherited a deep faith in goodness and deep kindness.
3. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?
Answer: During the war, newspapers had to be bundled and thrown out from a moving train. Kalam earned his first wages by working as a helping hand for his cousin Samsuddin to catch these newspaper bundles.
4. Name Kalam’s childhood friends and mention their religious background.
Answer: His childhood friends were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan. All these boys belonged to orthodox Hindu Brahmin families.
5. What role did Kalam's family play during the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony?
Answer: During this ceremony, Kalam's family used to arrange boats equipped with a special platform. These boats were used for carrying the idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site.
6. Why was the new teacher unhappy with the seating arrangement in Kalam's class?
Answer: The new teacher saw a Muslim boy (Kalam) sitting beside the son of a Hindu priest (Ramanadha Sastry). He could not stomach this arrangement in accordance with his view of social ranking.
7. What did Lakshmana Sastry tell the new teacher?
Answer: Lakshmana Sastry told the new teacher that he should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children.
8. Describe the nature of Sivasubramania Iyer.
Answer: Sivasubramania Iyer was an orthodox Brahmin but something of a rebel. He actively did his best to break social barriers so people of varying backgrounds could mingle easily.
9. How did Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife react when Kalam was first invited to dine?
Answer: She was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy dining in her ritually pure kitchen. Consequently, she refused to serve him food in her kitchen.
10. What did Kalam's father tell his mother when she hesitated about Kalam leaving Rameswaram?
Answer: He quoted Khalil Gibran, telling her that her children are not her children but the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They have their own thoughts and must go away to grow.
Short Answer Type Questions (3 Marks)
1. Describe the daily life and generosity of Kalam's mother, Ashiamma.
Answer: Ashiamma was an ideal helpmate to Kalam's father. She was incredibly generous, and Kalam noted that he could not recall the exact number of people she fed daily. However, he was certain that she fed far more outsiders every day than all the members of their own family combined.
2. How did the Second World War affect Rameswaram initially, and what was its first major casualty?
Answer: Initially, the isolated area of Rameswaram was completely unaffected by the war. However, when India was forced to join the Allied Forces, a state of emergency was declared. The first casualty was the suspension of the train halt at Rameswaram station, forcing newspapers to be thrown from moving trains.
3. Explain the incident that occurred when Kalam was in the fifth standard.
Answer: A new teacher arrived and saw Kalam, wearing a Muslim cap, sitting in the front row next to Ramanadha Sastry, who wore a sacred thread. Unable to tolerate a Muslim boy sitting with a Hindu priest's son, the teacher forced Kalam to sit on the back bench based on social ranking. This incident left both boys feeling utterly downcast and sad.
4. How did Lakshmana Sastry resolve the conflict created by the new teacher?
Answer: After hearing about the incident from the children, Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher. He strictly told him not to spread the poison of social inequality among children. He bluntly asked the teacher to either apologize or quit the school and the island, which ultimately brought about a strong sense of conviction and reformed the teacher.
5. What was Sivasubramania Iyer’s vision for Kalam?
Answer: Sivasubramania Iyer used to spend hours with Kalam, encouraging him. He would tell Kalam that he wanted him to develop himself so that he could be on par with the highly educated people of the big cities. He actively broke social barriers to help people mingle.
6. Describe how Sivasubramania Iyer handled his wife's initial refusal to serve Kalam.
Answer: When his wife refused to serve a Muslim boy in her pure kitchen, Iyer was neither perturbed nor angry with her. Instead, he peacefully served Kalam with his own hands and sat down beside him to eat his meal, setting an example through his actions.
7. What happened when Kalam visited his science teacher's house for the second time?
Answer: During Kalam's second visit the following week, a significant change was observed. Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife took Kalam inside her own kitchen. Overcoming her earlier orthodox prejudice, she served him food directly with her own hands.
8. What advice did Sivasubramania Iyer give Kalam regarding confronting problems?
Answer: When Kalam was hesitating to visit again due to the wife's reaction, Iyer advised him not to get upset. He told Kalam, "Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted," emphasizing the necessity of perseverance.
9. How did Kalam's father justify his decision to let Kalam go to Ramanathapuram?
Answer: His father knew that Kalam had to leave his home environment in order to grow. He used the metaphor of a seagull, stating that a seagull flies across the sun alone and without a nest, implying that children must venture out independently to achieve their potential.
10. Describe the practical lesson that changed Kalam's destiny regarding birds.
Answer: When students failed to understand how birds fly through a blackboard diagram, Sivasubramania Iyer took them to the Rameswaram shore. He showed them live sea birds and explained their dynamics, showing how they were powered by their own life and motivation. This live practical example made Kalam decide his future had to be about flight.
Long Answer Type Questions (4/5/6 Marks)
1. Give a brief character sketch of Kalam's father, Jainulabdeen, based on the text.
Answer: Jainulabdeen, Abdul Kalam's father, was a man of great character despite lacking much formal education or wealth. He possessed immense innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit. He lived an austere lifestyle, strictly avoiding all inessential comforts and luxuries, yet he ensured that his family was provided with all necessities in terms of food, medicine, and clothes. This created a very secure childhood for Kalam, both materially and emotionally. Furthermore, he was an open-minded and progressive thinker; when Kalam wanted to leave home to study, he readily agreed, understanding that growth requires leaving the nest. He even consoled his hesitant wife by quoting Khalil Gibran, demonstrating his profound understanding of life and individuality.
2. The text describes two distinct attitudes towards social segregation in Rameswaram. Discuss how the new teacher and Sivasubramania Iyer represent these contrasting views.
Answer: Rameswaram was historically a society rigid in the segregation of different social groups. The new elementary school teacher represented the orthodox, divisive side of this society. He could not stomach a Muslim boy sitting beside a Hindu priest's son and forced Kalam to the back bench based on perceived social ranking, thereby trying to inject the poison of communal intolerance into innocent minds. In stark contrast, Sivasubramania Iyer, despite being an orthodox Brahmin himself, was a rebel who did his best to break social barriers. He wanted people of varying backgrounds to mingle easily. He invited Kalam into his home to dine and confronted his own wife's prejudices peacefully by serving Kalam himself. While the new teacher sought to reinforce differences, Iyer actively worked to bridge them.
3. Narrate the incident involving the new teacher at Rameswaram Elementary School. How did Lakshmana Sastry resolve the issue?
Answer: When Abdul Kalam was in the fifth standard, a new teacher arrived in his class. Kalam used to wear a cap identifying him as a Muslim, and he always sat in the front row next to his close friend, Ramanadha Sastry, who wore the sacred thread. The new teacher was blinded by social ranking and could not tolerate a Hindu priest's son sitting with a Muslim boy. He immediately ordered Kalam to move to the back bench, leaving both children feeling utterly sad and downcast. After school, the boys reported this to their parents. Lakshmana Sastry, Ramanadha's father and the high priest, summoned the teacher. He bluntly rebuked the teacher for spreading social inequality and told him to either apologize or quit the school. The strong sense of conviction displayed by Lakshmana Sastry ultimately reformed the young teacher, ending the segregation.
4. Describe the evolution of Sivasubramania Iyer's wife. What lesson did Iyer teach Kalam through this experience?
Answer: Initially, Sivasubramania Iyer's wife was highly conservative and steeped in orthodox traditions. When her husband invited Kalam to dinner, she was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy eating in her ritually pure kitchen and flatly refused to serve him. However, after watching her husband peacefully serve Kalam and eat beside him, and observing that Kalam ate and cleaned up just like anyone else, her perspective began to shift. When Kalam returned the following week, she had completely transformed; she welcomed him into her kitchen and served him food with her own hands. Through this experience, Iyer taught Kalam a vital lesson: "Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted". He demonstrated that quiet persistence, leading by example, and refusing to react with anger can effectively change deeply ingrained prejudices.
5. How does Abdul Kalam portray his childhood as "secure, both materially and emotionally"?
Answer: Abdul Kalam portrays his childhood as highly secure due to the grounding presence of his parents. Materially, they lived in a fairly large pucca ancestral house made of limestone and brick. Although his father was austere and avoided inessential luxuries, he ensured that every necessity—be it food, medicine, or clothes—was consistently provided. Emotionally, Kalam felt deeply loved and guided. He grew up alongside siblings in an environment where he inherited strong values like honesty, self-discipline, and deep kindness from his parents. His family environment was inclusive and secular, seamlessly blending Islamic faith with an appreciation for Hindu traditions, such as organizing boats for temple ceremonies and listening to bedtime stories from both the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet. This nurturing, unprejudiced environment provided absolute emotional stability.
6. Describe the teaching methodology of Sivasubramania Iyer as highlighted in the "To Sir, with Love" section. How did it influence Kalam's career choice?
Answer: Sivasubramania Iyer utilized a highly engaging and practical teaching methodology. When trying to explain how birds fly, he first drew a diagram on the blackboard depicting the anatomy of a bird and explained the theoretical concept. However, when Kalam and the other students admitted they didn't understand, Iyer did not give up. That evening, he took the entire class to the Rameswaram shore to provide a live practical example. He showed them the marvellous formations of sea birds, making them observe how their wings flapped and explaining the birds' dynamics. This real teaching—combining a theoretical lesson with a live practical demonstration—profoundly impacted young Kalam. Seeing the birds powered by their own life and motivation inspired him deeply, causing him to realize that his future and destiny had to be focused on flight and flight systems.
7. Analyze the theme of communal harmony and secularism as presented in Abdul Kalam's childhood memories.
Answer: Kalam’s childhood in Rameswaram is a powerful testament to communal harmony and secularism. Growing up, Kalam, a Muslim boy, had three closest friends—Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan—who all belonged to orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. As children, they never felt any religious differences amongst themselves. Kalam’s Muslim family actively participated in Hindu festivals, arranging boats for the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony. Furthermore, his mother and grandmother narrated bedtime stories derived equally from the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet. Whenever a disruption to this harmony occurred, such as the new teacher separating Kalam and Ramanadha, the community leaders like Lakshmana Sastry swiftly stepped in to firmly condemn and extinguish the poison of communal intolerance. This deeply secular upbringing formed the foundation of Kalam's worldview.
8. "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself." Explain the context and significance of this quote by Khalil Gibran in the story.
Answer: This quote by Khalil Gibran is spoken by Kalam's father, Jainulabdeen, to console Kalam's mother when Kalam asks for permission to leave Rameswaram to study in Ramanathapuram. The mother was hesitant about sending her young son away. The significance of this quote lies in its profound philosophical wisdom regarding parenting and individuality. The father uses it to explain that while parents give birth to children and offer them love, they do not own them. Children have their own distinct thoughts, destinies, and paths to carve out in the world. By using this quote and the metaphor of a seagull flying alone without a nest, the father lovingly helps his wife understand that clinging to their child will only hinder his growth; they must let him go so he can achieve his full potential.
9. Write a note on the socio-economic environment of Rameswaram as depicted in the chapter.
Answer: The chapter depicts Rameswaram in the 1940s as an isolated island town in the erstwhile Madras State. Economically, it featured a mix of classes; Kalam belonged to a middle-class family lacking great wealth but having a stable ancestral pucca house. Daily wage jobs and small businesses were prevalent, as seen when Kalam sold tamarind seeds for a daily sum of one anna, and his cousin Samsuddin distributed newspapers. Socially, Rameswaram was a small, rigid society heavily structured around the segregation of different social groups, with deeply orthodox traditions. However, despite this rigidity, there was a strong undercurrent of peaceful coexistence. People from different faiths lived together harmoniously, children of different religions shared close friendships without prejudice, and rebel figures like Sivasubramania Iyer actively worked to break down the barriers of segregation.
10. Describe Kalam's experience of earning his own money for the first time. Why was it a significant moment for him?
Answer: During the Second World War, the train halt at Rameswaram station was suspended. Consequently, bundles of newspapers had to be thrown out from a moving train on the Rameswaram Road. Kalam's cousin, Samsuddin, who distributed these newspapers, needed a helping hand to catch the thrown bundles. Kalam naturally stepped in to fill this slot. By assisting Samsuddin, Kalam earned his very first wages. This moment was highly significant for Kalam because it gave him a profound sense of independence and accomplishment. He notes that even half a century later, he could still feel the distinct surge of pride in earning his own money for the first time, marking a vital step in his journey toward self-reliance.
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